Mark Ryan insists there are no plans to change state’s water plan

A state government Minister has sidestepped questions over whether he would drink recycled water as he insisted there were no moves to change the state’s water plan, despite revelations a desalination plant could be built on the Sunshine Coast.

Queensland government minister Mark Ryan has sidestepped questioning over whether he would drink recycled water, as he insisted there were no moves to change the state’s water plan.

It follows revelations in The Sunday Mail that a multibillion-dollar desalination plant could be built on the Sunshine Coast to avoid another public debate on recycling drinking water from sewage water.

At a press conference on Sunday morning, Mr Ryan said he was not aware of any decision around plans to build a desalination plant as he wasn’t the water minister.

“Obviously (our) government is always a government that plans, looks to the future, and we will be looking to the future about investments in water infrastructure,” Mr Ryan said.

“And when decisions are made, I’m sure they will be made public.

“I’m not aware of any decisions being made on future investments on the water grid. There’s a plan in place.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has previously hosed down the issue of recycled water, with her office confirming on the weekend that her government was not considering expanding its use or building more recycled water infrastructure.

When he was asked on Sunday if he would drink recycled water, Mr Ryan didn’t directly answer the question.

He instead used the opportunity to refer to the Sunday Mail article, and sugg­ested there were no moves to change the state’s water plan “at the moment”.

As of Sunday afternoon, the South East Queensland water grid was at 87.8 per cent capacity.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli claimed the government’s water plan was to “just hope and pray for more rain”.

“That is the situation that faces every Queenslander today and it is why we are calling on the government to detail a costed plan for water security,” he said.

The Premier’s office did not respond to questions from The Sunday Mail over the weekend about whether Ms Palaszczuk was supportive of a new desalination ­facility.