Moreton Bay joins the water club grid

Around 100,000 Moreton Bay region residents are now new members of a growing club – residents with a secure drinking water supply from the south-east Queensland water grid.

Natural Resources Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said an extra 100,000 people were now connected to the grid that supplies bulk drinking water to almost 3.1 million residents in South East Queensland.

“This new water supply scheme significantly increases water supply security for the Moreton Bay community,” Dr Lynham said.

"While residents will be supplied primarily from the larger North Pine Water Treatment Plant, they also can be supplied with water from other treatment plants in greater Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.”

Member for Bancroft Chris Whiting welcomed the news, and raised it during debate in State Parliament last night.

“Our area is booming with many new families moving here to enjoy our great lifestyle,” he said.

“As a local member of the Palaszczuk Government, I am very glad to see our government creating the water security we need for our expanding population.”

Residents had been connected to the old, free-standing Petrie Water Treatment Plant, which has shut down and will be demolished. The Petrie plant was built in the 1950s and would have needed a major upgrade to meet growth in the region.

Residents are now connected to the grid and its potential 12 water supply sources across the region via a new $16.5 million pipeline connection. The new pipeline services Dakabin, North Lakes, Mango Hill, Kallangur, Murrumba Downs, Griffin, Petrie, Lawnton and Strathpine.

The new pipeline connection was a joint venture between Seqwater and water retailer Unitywater.

The grid includes 12 major drinking water dams across south east Queensland, the Gold Coast desalination plant and the Western Corridor recycled water scheme. More than 600km of bulk water pipelines transports drinking water from water treatment plants to distribution networks owned and operated by local water retailers and councils from Noosa to the Gold Coast and west to Toowoomba.

Seqwater Acting Chief Executive Officer Dan Spiller said a detailed assessment had demonstrated taking the Petrie plant offline and connecting residents to the grid was the most cost-effective and operationally efficient option for the future.

[ENDS]

Media inquiries: David Potter 0428 411 617