By Dominique Tassell
Southern Downs Regional Council (SDRC) has announced works are underway to drought-proof the existing truck wash at the Warwick Saleyards.
The $830k recycled water plant is funded by the Queensland Government’s Building our Regions program and is not related to the $4.5 million grant for renovations SDRC recently applied for.
SDRC states the new water plant “will help preserve the region’s urban water supply” and is expected to reduce the town water consumption for the truck wash by up to 99 per cent.
Assistant Minister for Local Government Nikki Boyd said it was fantastic to see works beginning on this vital project.
“We know the importance of water security for the regions in building vibrant and resilient communities, so we are proud to invest in this project,” Ms Boyd said.
“The Palaszczuk Government’s Building our Regions program has not only provided improved local infrastructure across Queensland, it’s supporting thousands of well-paid regional jobs and is something we will continue to invest in for our regional communities.
“Queensland’s plan for economic recovery is well underway and communities like Warwick are benefiting with local jobs and increased investment.”
Southern Downs Mayor, Vic Pennisi, said the project is part of Council’s ongoing contingency plan to ensure essential Council-operated infrastructure contributed to sustainable water practices.
“The Warwick Saleyards is an essential and vital service for the region’s livestock industry and anchors of one of our biggest industries,” Mayor Pennisi said.
“Upgrading the infrastructure to enable the use of recycled water at the saleyards is fundamental to securing a viable and sustainable future for the facility.
“The existing truck wash has been solely reliant on town water as its primary supply which has experienced restricted operations during times of drought.”
The livestock transport industry is bound by strict bio-security laws, one of which requires operators to routinely wash their trucks to remove animal waste.
The closure of the Warwick Saleyards truck wash in March 2019 resulted in many truck operators travelling long distances outside of the region to meet these requirements.
To ensure continuous operations in the long run, the new treatment facility will provide Class A+ standard recycled water for truck washing purpose as the primary water source.
“No longer at the mercy of water restrictions, the new recycled water plant will provide water security for the region’s only heavy vehicle truck wash and contribute to the financial viability of the saleyards,” Mayor Pennisi said.
The Mayor stated that waste water from the Warwick Saleyards wash bays will now be treated and recycled to wash heavy vehicles.
This will effectively creating a closed loop system that will require very little additional water and remove the dependency on treated town water which is a scarce resource in times of drought.
“This drought-proofing project is part of a number of exciting developments planned for the Warwick Saleyards to ensure the facility has a competitive and sustainable future,” the Mayor said.
Council adheres to the Australian Guidelines for Recycled Water and as such, the truck wash upgrades will continue to meet the required standards.
During construction of the recycled water plant, signage will be installed and traffic management measures put in place to ensure safe public access to the truck wash bays.
Work is expected to be completed by the end of November 2021, weather permitting.
