Vital upgrades to the Hay Gully water pipeline in Queensland’s Whitsundays region have been completed, ensuring a reliable and secure supply for the community.
Local Government Minister, Mark Furner, said the pipeline had been undermined by flooding and urgent works were required.
“This is a significant piece of infrastructure running from Proserpine to Bowen, and it’s vital for the community that we secure their supply of reliable quality water,” Mr Furner said.
“A sizeable length of the pipeline had become exposed and required immediate improvement work.
“The Palaszczuk Government invested $287,000 towards this project, replacing a section of at risk pipeline and installing a shutdown valve necessary to protect Bowen’s water supply from draining should a major leak occur.”
Mr Furner said the Queensland Government is committed to delivering infrastructure that will provide communities in regional Queensland with manageable, low-maintenance and long-lasting solutions for water and wastewater.
“This critical funding program has been increased in this year’s budget to $60 million over two years, allowing Councils extra time and bigger scope to provide for their communities,” Mr Furner said.
“Whitsunday Regional Council’s commitment to getting this project completed has given greater certainty of supply to the community and vital water security for the region.
“This is just another example of the Palaszczuk Government’s willingness to work in partnership with councils across Queensland to deliver crucial infrastructure that will improve people’s lives.”
Mayor of Whitsunday Regional Council, Andrew Wilcox, said a robust water supply network was vital for the region which had experienced the impacts of recent flood events.
“We’re delighted to see these works completed as it is one of our most important pieces of community infrastructure.
“During construction, the project also supported five local jobs. We’d like to thank the Queensland Government for investing in these important works,” Mr Wilcox said.
