Isaac and Whitsunday regions productive water supply
Estimated demand for agriculture near Collinsville and mining and urban water demand in and around Moranbah could be serviced by additional water infrastructure to supply high priority water.
The 2019 Australian Infrastructure Audit identified that water infrastructure could help to unlock economic opportunities when supported by evidence-based assessments that consider potential benefits, costs and risks for industry, local communities and the environment.
Realising the opportunity to increase productive water supply aligns with state and national policy and strategic objectives.
There is evidence to demonstrate a nationally significant opportunity to unlock economic opportunities across the Isaac and Whitsunday regions. The opportunity includes four demand nodes:
- Coal mining around Moranbah
- Urban demand in the Isaac Local Government Area including Moranbah and surrounding towns
- Greenfield agriculture near Collinsville
- Industrial production at Abbot Point and aquaculture in the coastal areas of the Whitsunday Local Government Area.
Multiple infrastructure solutions, being investigated by multiple proponents, can service the identified demand:
- Forecast mining and urban demand around Moranbah could be serviced by the Urannah Water Scheme, the Burdekin Falls Dam to Moranbah pipeline duplication, or Connors River Dam and pipeline.
- Agriculture demand at Collinsville could also be serviced by the Urannah Water Scheme.
- Aquaculture demand could be serviced by smaller, local solutions or extending the Elliot Main Channel or through a new pipeline from the Burdekin River to supply unsold High Priority allocation to the Whitsunday Aquaculture Development Area.
- Industrial demand at Abbot Point could be serviced by the Water for Bowen Project, converting Medium Priority allocation to High Priority allocation from the existing Peter Faust Dam and constructing a new pipeline to Bowen or through local desalination solutions.
Proponents to develop respective business cases analysing potential investment options (Stage 2 of Infrastructure Australia’s Assessment Framework).
Bowen River Utilities has developed a draft business case which identifies potential options for the Urannah Water Scheme. A final business case is currently being developed.
Proponents are to finalise Environmental Impacts Statements to enable the Queensland Coordinator General to undertake an assessment of the cumulative environmental impacts
Refer to Infrastructure Glossary for terms and definitions.