Published Tuesday, 24 July, 2007 at 01:38 PM
JOINT STATEMENT
Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Peter Beattie
Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Infrastructure
The Honourable Anna Bligh
WATER GRID REACHES MAJOR MILESTONE
BUNDAMBA: The first completed section of the Beattie Government’s $9 billion water grid a 7.3km pipeline that will play a crucial role in drought-proofing south-east Queensland has been delivered.
Premier Peter Beattie and Deputy Premier Anna Bligh today congratulated the hundreds of workers involved in the construction milestone - completing the pipeline connecting the Bundamba Advanced Water Treatment Plant with Swanbank Power Station near Ipswich.
“At its peak this section of 800mm-diameter pipeline will deliver up to 20 million litres of recycled water a day to the Swanbank Power Station, with the first recycled water expected to flow to Swanbank in just over a month,” Mr Beattie said.
“Using recycled water at Swanbank will eventually free up to 20 million litres a day of Wivenhoe Dam water. That’s the equivalent of drinking water for more than 140,000 people under Level 5 restrictions targets, enough for a city the size of Ipswich.”
The pipeline is the first completed link in the $2.4 billion Western Corridor Recycled Water Project, which will connect world class advanced water treatment plants at Luggage Point, Gibson Island and Bundamba and will make water available to businesses, power stations, farmers and into the Wivenhoe Dam.
“We have now laid more than 85 kilometres of pipeline across the whole water grid – about one-fifth of the total water grid we are building to drought proof South East Queensland,” Mr Beattie said.
“This is the Smart State at work. The complexity of the water grid and the pace at which we are building it are attracting interest around the world.
”The grid will ensure water security for south-east Queensland for generations to come by reducing our reliance on rainfall as our only source of water. And it will guarantee water will be available where it’s needed, when it’s needed.”
Mr Beattie said more than 2.8 million worker-hours already had gone into water grid projects including the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project, the Southern Regional Water Pipeline and the Gold Coast Desalination Plant at Tugun.
Mr Beattie and Ms Bligh today witnessed the final stages of pipelaying for the Bundamba-Swanbank project at Ebbw Vale in Ipswich, joining workers and residents to shovel in the last load of backfill.
The event recognised the work of the 200 staff who have delivered the historic first portion of the SEQ Water Grid.
“The water grid is a team effort all the way,” Ms Bligh said.
“It brings together government, business and the community to deliver essential infrastructure in record time.”
She said construction of the Bundamba plant was forging ahead. At the same time, testing and commissioning of the pipeline and the plant will ensure bulk recycled water flows to Swanbank by late August.
The Swanbank stage of the Bundamba Advanced Water Treatment plant has involved almost 700,000 worker hours by the staff of 625.
Ms Bligh took the opportunity to praise workers and nearby residents.
“It’s great to be able to mark this occasion with workers who have pulled out all of the stops to deliver this important section of the water grid. Local residents, who have been patient and understanding during construction in their street, also deserve many thanks from the people of south-east Queensland,” she said.
The pipeline was designed and constructed by the Southern Regional Water Pipeline Alliance for the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project.
24 July, 2007
Media contact: Premier’s office 3224 4500
Deputy Premier’s office 3224 4379
Premier Peter Beattie and Deputy Premier Anna Bligh today congratulated the hundreds of workers involved in the construction milestone - completing the pipeline connecting the Bundamba Advanced Water Treatment Plant with Swanbank Power Station near Ipswich.
“At its peak this section of 800mm-diameter pipeline will deliver up to 20 million litres of recycled water a day to the Swanbank Power Station, with the first recycled water expected to flow to Swanbank in just over a month,” Mr Beattie said.
“Using recycled water at Swanbank will eventually free up to 20 million litres a day of Wivenhoe Dam water. That’s the equivalent of drinking water for more than 140,000 people under Level 5 restrictions targets, enough for a city the size of Ipswich.”
The pipeline is the first completed link in the $2.4 billion Western Corridor Recycled Water Project, which will connect world class advanced water treatment plants at Luggage Point, Gibson Island and Bundamba and will make water available to businesses, power stations, farmers and into the Wivenhoe Dam.
“We have now laid more than 85 kilometres of pipeline across the whole water grid – about one-fifth of the total water grid we are building to drought proof South East Queensland,” Mr Beattie said.
“This is the Smart State at work. The complexity of the water grid and the pace at which we are building it are attracting interest around the world.
”The grid will ensure water security for south-east Queensland for generations to come by reducing our reliance on rainfall as our only source of water. And it will guarantee water will be available where it’s needed, when it’s needed.”
Mr Beattie said more than 2.8 million worker-hours already had gone into water grid projects including the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project, the Southern Regional Water Pipeline and the Gold Coast Desalination Plant at Tugun.
Mr Beattie and Ms Bligh today witnessed the final stages of pipelaying for the Bundamba-Swanbank project at Ebbw Vale in Ipswich, joining workers and residents to shovel in the last load of backfill.
The event recognised the work of the 200 staff who have delivered the historic first portion of the SEQ Water Grid.
“The water grid is a team effort all the way,” Ms Bligh said.
“It brings together government, business and the community to deliver essential infrastructure in record time.”
She said construction of the Bundamba plant was forging ahead. At the same time, testing and commissioning of the pipeline and the plant will ensure bulk recycled water flows to Swanbank by late August.
The Swanbank stage of the Bundamba Advanced Water Treatment plant has involved almost 700,000 worker hours by the staff of 625.
Ms Bligh took the opportunity to praise workers and nearby residents.
“It’s great to be able to mark this occasion with workers who have pulled out all of the stops to deliver this important section of the water grid. Local residents, who have been patient and understanding during construction in their street, also deserve many thanks from the people of south-east Queensland,” she said.
The pipeline was designed and constructed by the Southern Regional Water Pipeline Alliance for the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project.
24 July, 2007
Media contact: Premier’s office 3224 4500
Deputy Premier’s office 3224 4379