Government funds $49 million in water projects across Queensland: Fraser

November 1 2006

Government funds $49 million in water projects across Queensland: Fraser

Local Government and Planning Minister Andrew Fraser today announced a huge boost for water and sewerage infrastructure in Queensland’s regional communities, with $49 million in funding for councils.

Mr Fraser said the government will partner with 31 councils throughout the state with almost $33 million in funding under the Smaller Communities Assistance Program (SCAP) and a further $16 million through the Water and Sewerage Program.

“All of this money is targeted at towns outside of major urban centres and, in total, will allow local councils to get 41 new projects up and running,” Mr Fraser said.

“Projects funded under this latest round range from the construction of desalination plants to planning studies to identify how sewage can be treated and reused for non-drinking purposes.

“The projects stretch from Thursday Island, where a four mega litre reservoir will be built, out west to Cloncurry where upgrades will improve town water supplies, and south to the Darling Downs, where the small township of Westbrook will get reticulated sewerage to replace out-dated household septic tanks across the town.”

Projects to receiving funding from this SCAP round include:

§$18 million for the Miriam Vale Shire for projects including a high-tech desalination plant, the centerpiece of its water and sewerage master plan – necessary to meet the area’s current dire need for water

§$6.4 million towards the Maryborough Shire Council’s Eurong Sewerage Scheme on Fraser Island

§$2.9 million for a number of water saving and sewerage treatment projectsin Kilkivan, Monto and Perry Shires

The Smaller Communities Assistance Program is one of the Beattie Government’s premier regional water supply, water storage and sewerage infrastructure programs.

The program specifically targets Queensland’s smaller communities, providing funding for councils to build water and sewerage infrastructure in towns of 5000 people or less.

SCAP funding is open to all councils, with priority given to projects with the highest need and in many cases this comes down to the best cost per capita outcome.

Councils can apply for funding for a range of water and sewerage projects, including:

• Installation and construction of new water supply and sewerage services where none exist, including reticulation (e.g. construction of water treatment plants, construction of sewerage treatment plants and construction of reticulation networks to provide residents with town water);

• Upgrading of existing water supplies to improve water quality or quantity of supply (e.g. installing modern filtration systems in water treatment plants to provide clean, clear drinking water for residents.);

• Upgrading of existing sewerage services to improve environmental and health outcomes (e.g. construction of sewerage reticulation networks to replace out-dated on-site septic systems); and

• Planning studies to scope the viability of any of the above.

Mr Fraser said one of the most important aspects of the SCAP program is the fact that community support for the project is a critical component of the application requirements.

“The last round of Smaller Communities Program, which ran from 1996 to 2006, totalled $150 million and that’s money that transformed the lives of thousands of Queenslanders, introducing reticulated water and sewerage into their homes.

“In larger cities and towns we often take all of this for granted, but in many smaller communities, residents rely on tank, creek or bore water, and on-site septic sewerage treatment systems such as the old septic tanks.

“The financial cost of providing water and sewerage infrastructure in small communities is often out of reach for councils, given the high per capita cost.

“The Smaller Communities Assistance Program makes unaffordable projects affordable.”

Media Contact: Chris Taylor 3227 8825 or 0419 710 874