Published Wednesday, 23 May, 2007 at 01:51 PM
JOINT STATEMENT
Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Peter Beattie
Minister for Natural Resources and Water and Minister Assisting the Premier in North Queensland
The Honourable Craig Wallace
STUDY BEGINS INTO THE BURDEKIN TO BRISBANE PIPELINE
Premier Peter Beattie and the Minister for Water today announced that a scoping study for the Burdekin to Brisbane pipeline has begun.
“The construction of a Statewide Water Grid would be an engineering and economic challenge, but we owe it to future generations to test the science and the technology,” Mr Beattie said.
“Engineering consultants GHD Pty Ltd have been appointed to prepare the concept plan for the pipeline from the Burdekin to Brisbane.“
The plan will investigate:
• Whether a pipeline linking key water infrastructure over the 1200 kilometres between the Burdekin and South East Queensland is feasible; and
• What other centres would potentially benefit by linking the regions.
The Premier said this year there has been extensive flooding of North Queensland rivers while South East Queensland continues to be gripped by drought.
“Although it may not be feasible to pipe water from the State’s north to the south east in 2007, population growth and climate change may make it necessary in coming decades,” Mr Beattie said.
Minister for Natural Resources and Water, Craig Wallace said the Concept Plan was expected to be completed later this year and will cost $350,000.
“GHD will also need to consider whether the pipeline should be able to move water in both directions – so the State’s north could also receive water if it was in drought and there was a surplus in the south,” Mr Wallace said.
The Concept Plan will examine:
• Options for providing long-term emergency water supply for communities and industries from the Burdekin to South East Queensland.
• The long-term availability of water from the Burdekin.
• The critical water needs of future South East Queensland communities during worst-case drought.
• Cost estimates for piping water over the long distance involved.
• The most obvious route for the pipeline.
• The size of the pipeline and pumping stations and power supply needed.
• Preliminary environmental, social and cultural assessments.
“The needs of the current and future populations of the Burdekin Basin including Townsville and Thuringowa will be a vital consideration,” the Minister said.
The heart of the State Water Grid will be the regional water supply strategies currently being developed by the Beattie Government.
Water infrastructure developed as part of the regional strategies will form the building blocks of the grid, which will provide the necessary storages and pipeline links between them.
The main water source for the State Water Grid would be the Queensland’s largest dam, the Burdekin Falls Dam.
The Burdekin Falls Dam has an annual inflow of more than 5 million megalitres and it has sufficient unallocated water to supply other regions without jeopardising the water security of the Burdekin region.
Wednesday May 23, 2007.
Media contact: Premier’s Office – 3224 4500
Minister’s Office – 3896 3688
“The construction of a Statewide Water Grid would be an engineering and economic challenge, but we owe it to future generations to test the science and the technology,” Mr Beattie said.
“Engineering consultants GHD Pty Ltd have been appointed to prepare the concept plan for the pipeline from the Burdekin to Brisbane.“
The plan will investigate:
• Whether a pipeline linking key water infrastructure over the 1200 kilometres between the Burdekin and South East Queensland is feasible; and
• What other centres would potentially benefit by linking the regions.
The Premier said this year there has been extensive flooding of North Queensland rivers while South East Queensland continues to be gripped by drought.
“Although it may not be feasible to pipe water from the State’s north to the south east in 2007, population growth and climate change may make it necessary in coming decades,” Mr Beattie said.
Minister for Natural Resources and Water, Craig Wallace said the Concept Plan was expected to be completed later this year and will cost $350,000.
“GHD will also need to consider whether the pipeline should be able to move water in both directions – so the State’s north could also receive water if it was in drought and there was a surplus in the south,” Mr Wallace said.
The Concept Plan will examine:
• Options for providing long-term emergency water supply for communities and industries from the Burdekin to South East Queensland.
• The long-term availability of water from the Burdekin.
• The critical water needs of future South East Queensland communities during worst-case drought.
• Cost estimates for piping water over the long distance involved.
• The most obvious route for the pipeline.
• The size of the pipeline and pumping stations and power supply needed.
• Preliminary environmental, social and cultural assessments.
“The needs of the current and future populations of the Burdekin Basin including Townsville and Thuringowa will be a vital consideration,” the Minister said.
The heart of the State Water Grid will be the regional water supply strategies currently being developed by the Beattie Government.
Water infrastructure developed as part of the regional strategies will form the building blocks of the grid, which will provide the necessary storages and pipeline links between them.
The main water source for the State Water Grid would be the Queensland’s largest dam, the Burdekin Falls Dam.
The Burdekin Falls Dam has an annual inflow of more than 5 million megalitres and it has sufficient unallocated water to supply other regions without jeopardising the water security of the Burdekin region.
Wednesday May 23, 2007.
Media contact: Premier’s Office – 3224 4500
Minister’s Office – 3896 3688