Toowoomba deputy mayor Rebecca Vonhoff pushes for new probe into Emu Creek Dam proposal

Toowoomba’s deputy mayor Rebecca Vonhoff says Emu Creek should be “seriously considered” and she’s earned the support of colleagues to fund an investigation — but the proposal has been declared as ‘unsuitable’ by premier Steven Miles.

The Toowoomba Regional Council will press ahead with a feasibility study into a proposed new dam at Emu Creek, despite the premier appearing to pour cold water on it.

Deputy mayor Rebecca Vonhoff’s motion at Tuesday’s ordinary meeting for the council to complete a “comprehensive investigation” into the concept earned enough support from colleagues.

It reflects a changing appetite within council ranks over the issue of water security, considering the board rejected a very similar proposal brought forward by councillor Nancy Sommerfield in 2020.

Deputy mayor Rebecca Vonhoff. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Emu Creek, north of Crows Nest, has for decades been earmarked as a potential dam site but the proposal also carries a number of complications that some say make it unviable.

The state’s draft Southern and Darling Downs Regional Water Assessment argued Emu Creek wasn’t a preferred option, due to the cost and limited yield information.

Premier Steven Miles also downplayed the potential of Emu Creek, saying it had been investigated.

“The proposal to use Emu Creek has been investigated and found that that is not a suitable solution,” he said in Townsville on Tuesday.

Premier Steven Miles.

But Ms Vonhoff said the motion was still worthwhile, arguing it would send a signal to the higher levels of government.

“Things change with time and since it was last considered, we’ve got a lot more people and we have a lot more intense rain events,” she said.

“(With this motion) we have clearly planted a flag to say we’re a council that wants a new water supply.

“We are responding to our community and the state might hear that and getting going on either Emu Creek or Nathan Dam.”

Councillor Kerry Shine was an ardent opponent of Emu Creek, arguing Toowoomba should reinvestigate recycled water.

“Three or four years ago, (Emu Creek) would’ve cost $700m, now I would think it would be $1.4bn,” he said.

“The obvious answer is recycled water, because it’s a lot cheaper.

“It’s never going to be affordable for us to achieve (building a new dam).”

The council’s own Water Vision report, adopted last year, determined a recycled water plan for Cooby Dam would only extend the region’s water supply until 2064.

When asked about the suggestion, Ms Vonhoff pointed out legislation would also need to be changed for the council to pursue direct water recycling (where water would be purified at Wetella wastewater plant and sent straight to the treatment plant at Mount Kynoch).

EARLIER: Vonhoff’s bid for fourth dam

A push to build a new dam north of Toowoomba is again gathering steam, with deputy mayor Rebecca Vonhoff to call for a report to be commissioned for a new water source at Emu Creek.

Ms Vonhoff, who is also the council’s water and waste portfolio chair, will move a motion at Tuesday’s ordinary meeting asking for her colleagues to support a “comprehensive investigation” into Emu Creek as the region’s fourth water source.

The motion, if successful, would also see the council request the state government apply for funding from the National Water Grid for the investigation.

The request itself is expected to cost $50,000.

The Toowoomba region is predicted to see its population grow from 173,000 people currently to more than 240,000 residents by 2051, according to council projections.

It comes more than three years after the council voted down a previous attempt in October 2020 by councillor Nancy Sommerfield to explore Emu Creek, with the TRC instead opting to receive updates from the upper tiers of government about water supply assessments for the Darling Downs.

“Because of concerns about shortcomings in the assessments, the Local Government Association of Queensland has advised the state government that local governments desire an approach that considers significant infrastructure investment – including the construction of new dams,” Ms Vonhoff’s motion read.

“This motion signals to the state and federal governments that council wants Emu Creek Dam to be seriously considered as a water source.”

Ms Vonhoff told News Corp while she preferred the Nathan Dam proposal (in the Western Downs), Emu Creek stacked up on a number of fronts for the region.

She also argued infrastructure projects were often killed due to an emphasis on the financial implications, without consideration for potential opportunities or economic benefits of greater water security.

“This dam is within our boundaries and it plants a flag to the upper levels that this is a council that seeks additional water supply,” Ms Vonhoff said.

“A lot of projects with water are ruled out (purely) on financial grounds (but) our whole thinking on water needs to change.

“It’s a failing that we look at it in terms of how long it will take to pay off.

“We need to think differently about water supply — it’s too critical to (keep having) this older way of thinking.”

Emu Creek’s location within the Wivenhoe catchment could work against it, with Ms Vonhoff’s report noting the council’s own water vision document noted there could be “financial penalties” associated with it.

“It is also noted that the potential dam costs cannot be afforded by our local government alone,” her report said.