Seqwater will start supplementing Brisbane with water supply from Sunshine Coast dams, following recent rainfall along the coast.
Natural Resources Minister, Dr Anthony Lynham, said that with Baroon Pocket Dam at just over 97 per cent capacity, Seqwater would reverse the flow of the South East Queensland water grid between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane.
“At the start of summer, falling dam levels on the Sunshine Coast meant the water grid was being used to supplement Sunshine Coast supplies,” Mr Lynham said.
“After more than 10,000ML of inflow over the past week, Baroon Pocket is almost full while Wivenhoe remains just over 50 per cent.
“Despite receiving its best inflows in recent years, our biggest single water storage, Wivenhoe Dam, remains at its lowest level in more than a decade.”
Seqwater CEO, Neil Brennan, said changing the flow direction of bulk water supply pipelines was all part of normal operations at Seqwater.
“We are operating the grid to best preserve water supply in Wivenhoe as we head into the traditionally drier months of autumn and winter,’’ Mr Brennan said.
The long-awaited rainfall in February occurred mostly along coastal catchments, with the Sunshine and Gold Coasts recording rainfalls in excess of 400mm.
Other Sunshine Coast dams including Wappa, Ewen Maddock, Poona and Cooloolabin are now either at or nearing full capacity.
Seqwater is continuing to operate the Tugun Desalination Plant until run-off slows and the full impact of the current rain event is assessed.
