Pricey Queensland desalination plant in the pipeline
A multibillion-dollar desalination plant is likely to be approved by the Palaszczuk government before the end of the year as Queensland faces warnings of statewide water shortages.
A multibillion-dollar desalination plant is likely to be approved by the Palaszczuk government before the end of the year as Queensland faces surging population growth and warnings of statewide water shortages.
Annastacia Palaszczuk’s government is poised to green-light a desalination plant north of Brisbane, avoiding a politically explosive debate about adding recycled water to southeast Queensland’s drinking supply.
The cabinet will make a call on the proposed plant and upgrades to existing recycling infrastructure after it receives a final report in September from government agency Seqwater, with the latest water security modelling.
Seqwater, which supplies drinking water to millions of residents, warned the government in December that an alternative water source was needed by 2030 – a decade earlier than predicted – because of rapid population growth and new climate change modelling.
In its December report, which has not been publicly released, Seqwater floats the permanent use of recycled water in the region’s drinking supply as well as a new desalination plant to accompany a largely unused plant on the Gold Coast.
Residents could face an increase of at least 15 per cent to their water bill to cover the cost of building a new desalination plant – which has been estimated at between $4bn and $8bn – if the state government chooses that option.
Senior government sources told The Weekend Australian that Ms Palaszczuk and her cabinet favoured a new desalination plant to boost the water supply, despite the cost.
“The government is waiting on the final report before cabinet makes the decision, and the preferred option at the moment to manufacture more water for the grid is for the desal plant,’’ one of the sources said. “The desal plant has been accepted by the Gold Coast community.
“Given the surge in population in Caboolture and the Sunshine Coast, it is logical to build a new desal plant north of Brisbane.
“The existing recycled water infrastructure needs upgrades and we will certainly turn to that in the event of a drought.’’
Recycled water – wastewater or sewage disinfected and treated to become purified drinking water – was rejected by Toowoomba residents in 2006, during the height of the millennium drought.
Peter Beattie’s Labor government built the $2.5bn Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme during the last drought, but it has never been used to top up the drinking supply.
Although the scheme provides some water for industry, it was largely placed into care and maintenance in 2013.
Under current water policy, the Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme would be turned back on if dam levels hit 60 per cent. On Friday, the South East Queensland water grid was at 72.1 per cent, down from 81.3 per cent in early January.
It would take about two years to recommission the network of recycled water treatment plants, but would be largely cost-neutral.
The West Australian government last year commissioned a $320m expansion of Perth’s recycled water scheme to double its capacity to 28 billion litres each year.
The decision facing the state government comes as Queensland braces for a scorching bushfire season this summer.
Australia is on alert for an El Nino weather event, which brings hot and dry conditions after three consecutive years of La Nina-induced rain
Mayors across Queensland have backed a push to expand the use of recycled water.
A motion urging the state government to “look at additional uses of recycled wastewater” was passed 215 votes to 15 at the last Local Government Association of Queensland conference.
Brisbane lord mayor Adrian Schrinner told The Australian last year that the city needed a new permanent water source before the 2032 Olympics.
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