Haughton Pipeline’s $195m stage two to finally get underway
A Townsville business will soon get to work building 24km of pipe with the long-awaited stage two of the Haughton Pipeline project due for completion in 2025.
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A TOWNSVILLE business will soon get to work building 24km of pipe with the long-awaited stage two of the Haughton Pipeline project due for completion in 2025.
Deputy Premier Steven Miles was in Townsville on Tuesday to announce the tender for the work, following the state governments commitment of $195m to the Haughton Pipeline’s second stage.
He said Iplex Australia has been appointed the tender for the supply of 24km of 1.8-metre diameter pipe for stage two, with construction expected to get underway over the next 12 months.
The Haughton Pipeline project, which is expected to cost a total $274m, will connect the Ross River Dam to a new pumping station on the Burdekin River, near Clare, and provide a back-up for the Ross River Dam.
Stage one of the pipeline was completed in 2020.
The construction of the Haughton Pipeline and a pump station is now expected to be completed by the end of 2024 with testing and commissioning expected to be finalised by March 2025.
When completed, the pumping capacity of the new Haughton Pipeline is expected to be 236 megalitres a day.
The construction has been delayed due to disagreements between the state and federal government over GST allocations – with the Queensland government now funding the full project.
Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said the pipeline was council’s number one infrastructure priority and work was already underway to get stage two rolled out.
She said council had already spoken with landowners and have had to create a new easement to be able to get the pipeline down to the Clare weir.
“We’ve already started work doing all the surveys … getting the corridors and having the cultural and environmental surveys done,” she said.
“At the moment the stalling point isn’t the State Government, we need to work through the Federal Government to get out EPBC (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation) approvals.
“I think that’s the last phase of all of this before we can start putting shovels in the ground.”
Mayor Hill remained cautiously optimistic that good water levels may hold at the Ross River Dam so no significant water restrictions are triggered in Townsville before the pipeline is ready in 2025.
“I haven’t got a crystal ball to see what’s going to happen in 18 months but at the moment the dam’s pretty close to 90 per cent and it’s July,” she said.
“I think we’re in a pretty good position, even with a poor wet season, to be able to get into the commissioning of the pipe well before we have any concerns about water or significant water restrictions.”
Member for Townsville Scott Stewart said the Haughton Pipeline will secure Townsville’s future for decades to come.
“It means secure access to water, and will help delivering future economic growth for Townsville,” Minister Stewart said.
“Iplex Australia has local operations here in Townsville and the local jobs being supported during construction shows the pipeline is already pumping big dollars into Townsville.
“During Stage 1, about 200 local businesses benefited from $100 million in project spending and Council reports 1000 workers were inducted to work on-site. Stage 2 will be supporting more than 200 construction jobs, including local advanced manufacturing jobs like those at Iplex Australia.”
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Originally published as Haughton Pipeline’s $195m stage two to finally get underway
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