Serious dam safety concerns at the start of a wet Queensland summer

Queensland is going into its worst wet season in decades with many dam safety inspections not having been done for years, the Auditor-General has warned.

One 20-year dam safety report was found to be 2112 days overdue — almost six years late — while dozens of spillways have yet to be upgraded to meet standards for water releases.

The Queensland Government was not aware a five-year safety inspection of Wyaralong Dam near Beaudesert was overdue until a review this year.Credit: SEQ Water

The Queensland Audit Office examined the state government’s oversight of 107 dams owned by state entities — Sunwater and Seqwater, Stanwell Corporation, the Department of Resources and CleanCo — as well as local governments, private interests, mining and pastoral companies.

The audit raised serious questions over the lack of attention to dam safety — in a worst-case scenario, a dam failure could flood thousands of homes and businesses — and how already planned upgrades need to be delivered at a cost of billions of dollars.

The oversight has become so lax that one dam owner quizzed about delayed safety inspections “commented on the lack of follow up by the department on late reports”.

“There are multiple examples of safety reports that are years overdue. As an example, we found 22 comprehensive inspection reports since 2015 that were late and the department could not provide a reason,” the audit found.

“As at 10 February 2021, eight significant safety reports and 14 annual notifications were overdue as they were due but had not been received.”

At a glance

• Fourteen annual dam safety conditions notifications were overdue by average 132 days.
• Two annual safety inspections were overdue by 117 days
• Three five-yearly safety inspections were overdue by an average of 945 days.
• One 20 year major dam safety report was overdue by 2112 days.
• The department has not issued a fine for a dam owner not providing safety information on time since 2012.

Even the list of failed dam safety reports is not exhaustive because of poor record-keeping.

No dam owners have been fined since 2012, despite many failing to meet deadlines to provide safety data.

The auditors also questioned the government’s management of an escalating $3.1 billion debt to upgrade some 35 dams and comply with regulatory timeframes.

“Current estimates to achieve the 2035 target are approximately $4.6 billion, much higher than originally proposed,” the audit found.

“The greatest costs are for the portion of dams scheduled for 2035. The department does not have a fully costed timetable for when owners will complete the 2025 and 2035 upgrades. It has not actively managed the risk that affordability of significant upgrades could delay safety upgrades.”

The findings come as the government prepares to decide the fate of Sunwater’s Paradise Dam near Bundaberg, which was damaged during the 2013 floods. Having already lowered the water level to undertake initial works, the government will decide future steps by the end of 2021.

Paradise Dam upgrades could cost Sunwater and the government between $400 million and $800 million and take several years to re-build, depending on which option is chosen.

Water Minister Glenn Butcher did not answer questions put to him by Brisbane Times, however a departmental spokeswoman said a “dedicated project team” had been formed to tackle the poor dam safety reporting standards.

Water Minister Glenn Butcher.Credit: Dan Peled/AAP

The owner of each of the 107 dams monitored by the government must from now provide an annual report on the progress towards the 2025 and 2035 safety upgrades, the department said.

Opposition water and dams spokeswoman Deb Frecklington said the government was losing control of its core responsibilities.

“The Auditor-General’s report shows the government is gambling with Queenslanders’ safety and the future of water security,” Ms Frecklington said.

“The failings identified are serious and the Premier and Water Minister must accept responsibility.”