Toowoomba council secures new 30-year contract to pump water from Wivenhoe Dam, cost remains confidential

Queensland’s Water Minister has not disclosed how much the State Government’s new deal to pump water from Wivenhoe with the Toowoomba Regional Council will cost.

IN THE PIPELINE: State Water Minister Glenn Butcher with Toowoomba Mayor Paul Antonio.

UPDATE: The cost new long-term water pipeline deal between the State Government and the Toowoomba Regional Council will remain secret after both parties refused to comment.

The council announced a new 30-year agreement with Seqwater to allow it to pump from Wivenhoe Dam at times of need.

But Water Minister Glenn Butcher, who signed off on the deal, said the cost was a “commercial in confidence” matter and deferred it to Seqwater.

“Under the previous agreement, Toowoomba Regional Council had accessed water from Wivenhoe dam, when local supplies fell due to droughts, so I want to make sure there will always be water available,” he said.

Council’s water and waste chair Councillor Rebecca Vonhoff also declined to reveal the cost for the same reason.

EARLIER: Toowoomba region will have a guaranteed water supply until potentially 2072, after the council secured a new long-term agreement with the State Government to pump from Wivenhoe Dam.

The council announced the new 30-year contract with Seqwater this week, with Water Minister Glenn Butcher signing off on it.

The deal ensures the region can pump up to 10,000 megalitres from Wivenhoe into Cressbrook Dam every year.

That figure can also be negotiated up every year based on the region’s future water needs.

It replaces the original 10-year contract signed during the first amalgamated council, which coincided with the opening of the pipeline between Wivenhoe and Cressbrook Dams.

Water and waste chair Councillor Rebecca Vonhoff said the agreement was an important pillar in Toowoomba’s future water security.

“We’ve increased the lengths of the contract and that’s really important,” she said.

“It gives council and industry more security, and there is more flexibility in this deal.

“Each year we can go back and negotiate to see if we need to take more water — that flexibility was important to us.

“It’s not a silver bullet, but it is a really important part of the water security solution.”

Ms Vonhoff said the council was now looking ahead to the results from the Southern and Darling Downs Regional Water Assessment, which are due this year.

“We still need the state government to deliver the Darling Downs water assessment,” she said.

“We need them to identify the best source of a new water supply, so all governments can then focus on getting that over the line and funded.”

Mayor Paul Antonio said the agreement was a significant milestone for both the council as well as the region’s residents and businesses.

“As our population continues to grow, we’re often asked where will the additional water come from for the residents coming here to live,” he said.

“Not only will this help cater for additional residents moving to the region, it will provide confidence for industries who are identifying the region as an area of potential.”

The Toowoomba region’s combined dam levels are now at 42.8 per cent.