By Emily-Rose Toohey
At Stanthorpe Community Cabinet on 14 June, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the Queensland Government’s commitment to the Toowoomba to Warwick pipeline.
The pipeline will carry water from Wivenhoe Dam and connect with Toowoomba Regional Council’s existing water infrastructure to deliver water to satellite communities along the way.
Furthermore, the more than $300 million project will commence work in late 2022 and despite SDRC Mayor Vic Pennisi’s support, he said that ratepayer’s abilities to fund the infrastructure venture on an annual basis was limited.
“The very first numbers given to me meant that every single ratepayer would pay an extra 10 per cent on their rates,” Cr Pennisi said.
“My message to the Premier has been consistent the whole way through it, I’ve always said: ‘I don’t have an issue with the pipeline, as long as our ratepayers can afford it’.”
As a result, he said the government was having a serious look at how they could make it affordable.
“I think when the final announcements are made, it will be very positive towards our ratepayers,” Cr Pennisi said.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said that drought had been a major issue in the region and therefore water security was vital for the Southern Downs and Granite Belt.
“Having certainty of drinking water supplies gives the community confidence, as well as the small businesses and industry,” Premier Palaszczuk said.
“This pipeline is fantastic news for the future prosperity of these communities.”
However, Toowoomba Regional Council Mayor Paul Antonio said at this point, his council had not been appropriately briefed on what the pipeline meant for Toowoomba.
“Our plan was to build a bigger dam at Wivenhoe and that would give us (Toowoomba) water security until 2050,” Cr Antonio said.
“Due to the pipeline, this will be brought back to 2040.”
Similar to Cr Pennisi, he said he did not want to pipeline to impact future water security or costs to ratepayers.
“My idea is that we need to be visionary when it comes to this,” Cr Antonio said.
“The pipeline may become redundant and there could be a future where we bring the water back to Toowoomba.”
Minister for Water Glenn Butcher said the project would deliver a reliable drought contingency supply for Warwick, Allora, Killarney, Yangan, Stanthorpe, and smaller Darling Downs villages.
“These communities have been some of the hardest hit by drought in recent years and we know that water security is so vital,” Minister Butcher said.
According to the Premier, the pipeline’s proposed completion date is mid-2026 after pre-construction starts in late 2022, subject to consultation with the councils.
