SEQ Water Grid hits halfway: Bligh
Published Wednesday, 27 February, 2008 at 12:45 PM
Premier
The Honourable Anna Bligh
The State’s $9 billion 450km South East Queensland Water Grid has reached a key milestone with 225 kilometres of pipe in the ground, Premier Anna Bligh told State Parliament this morning.
Ms Bligh said that while it was obvious there had been recent rain delays across the project, but good progress during the preceding extended-dry, at this point in time, meant end-dates of projects were not affected.
“The South East Queensland Water Grid is an infrastructure project of significance and I look forward to continue reporting on its progress until completion later this year,” said the Premier.
The Premier detailed that the 225km of the pipeline thus far included more than 23,000 individual pipes and more than 5000 pipe fittings.
“This represents some 8800 semitrailer loads or an average of 28 movements per working day.
“The $2.4 billion Western Corridor Recycled Water Project has had more than 18,000 workers in total since work started in late 2006,” she said.
Deputy Premier Paul Lucas said that workers have come from more than 35 countries from Bangladesh to Zimbabwe.
“Currently there are more than 1900 workers across some 45 sites. This group has recently clocked up four million working hours,” he said.
He said that the Gold Coast’s $1.2 billion desalination plant is now more than 60% complete with more than 1.8 million man hours recorded.
“The visitors centre has welcomed about 2000 interested visitors in the last 12 months and more than 2.5 million tonnes of soil has been removed from the site, pipelines and tunnels,” he said.
The Southern Regional Water Pipeline reports that it has either purchased or used the following:
Ms Bligh said that while it was obvious there had been recent rain delays across the project, but good progress during the preceding extended-dry, at this point in time, meant end-dates of projects were not affected.
“The South East Queensland Water Grid is an infrastructure project of significance and I look forward to continue reporting on its progress until completion later this year,” said the Premier.
The Premier detailed that the 225km of the pipeline thus far included more than 23,000 individual pipes and more than 5000 pipe fittings.
“This represents some 8800 semitrailer loads or an average of 28 movements per working day.
“The $2.4 billion Western Corridor Recycled Water Project has had more than 18,000 workers in total since work started in late 2006,” she said.
Deputy Premier Paul Lucas said that workers have come from more than 35 countries from Bangladesh to Zimbabwe.
“Currently there are more than 1900 workers across some 45 sites. This group has recently clocked up four million working hours,” he said.
He said that the Gold Coast’s $1.2 billion desalination plant is now more than 60% complete with more than 1.8 million man hours recorded.
“The visitors centre has welcomed about 2000 interested visitors in the last 12 months and more than 2.5 million tonnes of soil has been removed from the site, pipelines and tunnels,” he said.
The Southern Regional Water Pipeline reports that it has either purchased or used the following:
- 91,000 square (SQUARE) metres of reinforcing mesh -- which according to SRWP is enough to clad the hull of the new Cunard liner Queen Victoria – twice.
- Some 26,000 cubic (CUBIC) metres of concrete which is estimated would be enough to fill the hallowed Suncorp Metway Stadium to a depth of 8 metres.
- And some 312,000 pairs of corded earplugs.
Media contact: Premier’s Office 3224 4500