The Australian Government has committed $20 million through the National Water Grid Fund towards this package of 5 projects in Queensland. The total estimated cost of the package is $57.2 million, with the Queensland Government and partners contributing $37.2 million.
Cast iron pipes will be upgraded as part of the Cassowary Coast Leak Reduction project. Image credit: Cassowary Coast Regional Council
Project overview
The Water Infrastructure for Sustainable and Efficient Regions (WISER) initiative will deliver water security outcomes in at least 9 towns across Queensland, including in the Douglas Shire, Cassowary Coast, Longreach, Mareeba and Central Highlands regions.
It is expected that collectively these projects will:
- deliver water security outcomes in areas that have been identified as high risk.
- provide more than 700 megalitres of additional water for community and productive use per year.
- achieve more than 850 megalitres of water savings by improving network efficiency.
Queensland projects under the WISER initiative include:
- Mossman River Intake
- Building an additional raw water extraction site on the Mossman River and associated storage in the Douglas region of Far North Queensland. This will decrease reliance on seasonal creek flows and provide an additional 600 megalitres of water per year, eliminating the need for water restrictions in the Douglas local government area.
- Cassowary Coast Leak Reduction
- Upgrading water mains and supporting infrastructure in three towns across the Cassowary Coast local government area, in Far North Queensland. This will minimise leakage and deliver water savings of up to 588 megalitres per year.
- Longreach Water Security for Growth
- A combination of infrastructure upgrades and water efficiency measures to secure sustainable long-term water security and support the growth and prosperity of Longreach, in Central West Queensland. This includes rebuilding and raising 5 weirs and upgrading water mains, which will increase water storage and improve water efficiency to reduce losses by 245 megalitres per year.
- Mareeba Regional Water Security
- Upgrading the water treatment system and replacing ageing water mains in Mareeba, southwest of Cairns. This will reduce water loss and improve the reliability of water supply for community and productive use.
- Central Highlands Drinking Water Supply Program
- Upgrading two water treatment plants and installing supporting infrastructure within the Central Highlands local government area in Central Queensland. This will address reliability and quality of water supply issues in high-risk areas, delivering an additional 73 megalitres of water per year for productive and community use.