New app to help South East Queenslanders during the wet season

Published Wednesday, 30 November, 2016 at 12:45 PM

Minister for Main Roads, Road Safety and Ports and Minister for Energy, Biofuels and Water Supply
The Honourable Mark Bailey

For the first time, South East Queenslanders will be able to stay up-to-date with the latest news on the region’s water supply and spilling dams – all at the touch of a screen.

The free Seqwater mobile app - unveiled by Water Supply Minister Mark Bailey at Parliament today - provides the latest information about dam releases and water supply levels across the authority’s 26 dams.

Minister Bailey said as well as dam notifications, the app also sources critical alerts and warnings for severe weather, tsunamis and bushfires based on your GPS location and gives users important recreation safety and lake closure alerts. 

“This app will prove valuable in helping people stay informed and safe, especially over the summer - the traditional wet season,” Mr Bailey said.

“Users are able to select which dams they would like to be notified of in terms of controlled water releases or spilling dams or which recreation lakes they would like to receive safety alerts about,’’ Mr Bailey said.

“Having access to this kind of accurate and up to date information will help them stay safe during severe weather and assist people in planning visits to our lakes and dams.

“This app will join the already available SunWater app, which provides communities with the latest information, including operational updates and emergency preparedness notifications in regional areas.”

Minister Bailey said the Water Legislation (Dam Safety) Amendment Bill 2016 was also being introduced to Parliament today and would further safeguard Queenslanders against the safety risks associated with dams.

“The government is serious about dam safety,” Mr Bailey said.

“These important safety measures are in response to the 2015 Inspector-General of Emergency Management’s review of Seqwater and SunWater warning communications, which I commissioned last year, and which highlighted the need for changes to dam safety emergency management procedures.

“The bill applies to the 105 water storage dams located across the State which are known to pose a risk to people, including locally and State owned facilities.

“It includes amendments which give clearer role definitions for dam owners and managers to better manage emergencies and to simplify the regulation of small dams.”

The Bill also improves integration of dam safety planning with general emergency management planning. It reinforces the important role local governments play in community safety, and it better focusses safety management on large dams where the consequences of things going wrong would be likely to be greatest.

Minister Bailey said the Palaszczuk Government, Seqwater and SunWater had already made a number of administrative and operational improvements in response to the review.

“These improvements will be underpinned by the legislation to provide clearer role definitions for all dam owners so that they can better manage the safety of their dam and importantly, the safety of those around it during flooding,” Mr Bailey said.

“We know that the failure of a dam can have major consequences, and making these improvements is vital to keeping Queenslanders safe.”

South East Queenslanders are encouraged to download the new app or go to www.seqwater.com.au to ensure they register for dam release notifications ahead of summer.

ENDS

Media contact:

Minister Bailey’s office – 0428 079 640

Seqwater - (07) 3247 3000 or email media@seqwater.com.au