Seqwater has revealed that it has spent $8 million on essential water catchment projects over the past year to improve the region’s drinking water.
Chief Executive Officer, Neil Brennan, said investment in catchment management was an effective way of protecting the security of the region’s drinking water supply.
Mr Brennan said Seqwater had been working with land care, natural resource management and conservation groups, local governments and directly with landholders across the region to deliver its program of catchment improvement works.
“In the 19-20 financial year, Seqwater has invested about $8.2 million in catchment management, with about $5 million allocated to partnership projects,” Mr Brennan said.
“These projects have taken place across a number of catchments across SEQ and include: riparian weed control and revegetation work, landslip remediation and bank stabilisation, on-site wastewater system upgrades and other on-farm improvements.
“This work with the community to restore our drinking water sources and protect water quality is going a long way to creating a safer, more reliable and cost-effective water supply.”
Mr Brennan said Seqwater’s catchments were one of the most highly-developed and ‘open’ in the country, with some areas containing farmland, rural properties, degraded waterways, industrial facilities and growing townships.
“Seqwater owns less than five per cent of the 1.8 million hectares of catchment lands,” Mr Brennan said.
“Water treatment starts on our catchments and Seqwater works hard with the community to improve catchment health and protect the quality of water entering our water treatment plants.
“Through working with established catchment groups across the region to carry out these projects, it’s allowed Seqwater to tap into local knowledge and better connect with the communities we serve.”
The partnership program has also enhanced the provision of economic, environmental and social benefits for communities and businesses, while also supporting local employment.
“It has never been more important to continue to invest in the health of our drinking water supply catchments and support the future economic, social and environmental health of our region,” Mr Brennan said.
“At Seqwater we are committed to our ongoing catchment partnership program.”
