NEW BORE DRILLING PROGRAM WILL HELP BOOST TOOWOOMBA’S WATER SUPPLY
Published Thursday, 01 November, 2007 at 03:15 PM
Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
The Bligh Government is assisting Toowoomba City Council in a new bore drilling program to secure emergency water supplies from the Great Artesian Basin (GAB), Acting Natural Resources and Water Minister John Mickel said today.
Mr Mickel said following discussions with council, the Department of Natural Resources and Water had employed Queensland Drilling Services for the new drilling program.
The drillers will start at the end of this month.
Drilling will start near Cooby Dam, approximately 20 kilometres north of the city, and reach an estimated depth of 530 metres.
“It is crucial that we secure additional emergency water supplies for Toowoomba as soon as possible,” Mr Mickel said.
“The Bligh Government is pleased to be doing its part to get additional water in support of Toowoomba City Council,” he said.
Currently the combined storage of Toowoomba’s three major dams is below 12%.
Sinking bores into the GAB is the only viable option to provide extra water for Toowoomba in the short term.
The GAB lies up to 700 metres under Toowoomba, much deeper than the basalt aquifers that currently also provide water to the city.
Other GAB bores are already providing water for the city.
The Bligh Government has provided $11.8 million to Toowoomba City Council for construction of additional bores to access the GAB.
The council also has State Government approval to extract up to 5000 megalitres per year from the GAB.
Mr Mickel said Toowoomba City Council had asked the Department of Natural Resources and Water to help find a drilling contractor.
“The department was able to do this and confirmed that work will start within a month,” he said.
Mr Mickel said not every bore that was drilled would necessarily provide good quality water.
“For that reason, we are looking at more than one drilling location,” he said.
However, the Cooby Dam bore site is not far from the existing Geham bore, another GAB bore that is currently producing good quality water for Toowoomba.
Depending on the results of the first bore, four other bores could be drilled.
The $1 million cost of the first bore will be met by Toowoomba City Council from the $11.8 million fund.
Media inquiries: Paul Childs on 0407 131 654.
November 1, 2007
Mr Mickel said following discussions with council, the Department of Natural Resources and Water had employed Queensland Drilling Services for the new drilling program.
The drillers will start at the end of this month.
Drilling will start near Cooby Dam, approximately 20 kilometres north of the city, and reach an estimated depth of 530 metres.
“It is crucial that we secure additional emergency water supplies for Toowoomba as soon as possible,” Mr Mickel said.
“The Bligh Government is pleased to be doing its part to get additional water in support of Toowoomba City Council,” he said.
Currently the combined storage of Toowoomba’s three major dams is below 12%.
Sinking bores into the GAB is the only viable option to provide extra water for Toowoomba in the short term.
The GAB lies up to 700 metres under Toowoomba, much deeper than the basalt aquifers that currently also provide water to the city.
Other GAB bores are already providing water for the city.
The Bligh Government has provided $11.8 million to Toowoomba City Council for construction of additional bores to access the GAB.
The council also has State Government approval to extract up to 5000 megalitres per year from the GAB.
Mr Mickel said Toowoomba City Council had asked the Department of Natural Resources and Water to help find a drilling contractor.
“The department was able to do this and confirmed that work will start within a month,” he said.
Mr Mickel said not every bore that was drilled would necessarily provide good quality water.
“For that reason, we are looking at more than one drilling location,” he said.
However, the Cooby Dam bore site is not far from the existing Geham bore, another GAB bore that is currently producing good quality water for Toowoomba.
Depending on the results of the first bore, four other bores could be drilled.
The $1 million cost of the first bore will be met by Toowoomba City Council from the $11.8 million fund.
Media inquiries: Paul Childs on 0407 131 654.
November 1, 2007