NRW STARTS DRILLING TO IMPROVE GROUNDWATER MONITORING

The Department of Natural Resources and Water (NRW) will start drilling into the Toowoomba Basalts aquifer system as part of the next stage in the city’s overall drought management strategy.

Natural Resources and Water Minister Craig Wallace said new monitoring bores would be sunk at six sites around Toowoomba as part of an enhanced groundwater monitoring network. A specialist team is due to start work on the first site tomorrow morning.

“The groundwater resource beneath Toowoomba has been extensively developed for water supply purposes,” Mr Wallace said. “As this unprecedented drought continues, more and more pressure is being exerted on the system for urban water supply.

“This extension to the monitoring system will give us access to more information about the Toowoomba Basalts’ performance, its yield limitations and constraints that need to be placed on users,” he said.

“The network is part of a number of strategies that are being put in place to ensure the long-term future water supplies for the city.”

The first site will be at the Platz Reservoir near the University of Southern Queensland, with drilling work on the first stage expected to take between five and seven days.

The entire project is expected to take three months for the six new monitoring sites. Each bore will be drilled to approximately 200m to determine what water-bearing layers exist at the site.

Mr Wallace said up to three separate cased holes at varying depths may be required at each site.

“I apologise for any inconvenience to residents bordering the sites, but this monitoring network must go ahead so that we can better monitor and assess groundwater capability under the city,” Mr Wallace said.

“Local groundwater supplies are not unlimited and as the drought continues it is essential that we have a better understanding of how this system is coping with the increased pressure it is being placed under,” he said.

“We need to continue to monitor our local groundwater supplies while NRW and Toowoomba City Council work together to develop the needed additional Great Artesian Basin bores that will secure drought contingency supplies for the city.”

Media inquiries: Paul Childs, Craig Wallace’s office, on 0407 131 654.