{"id":242688,"date":"2019-08-27T19:22:16","date_gmt":"2019-08-27T09:22:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=242688"},"modified":"2020-09-20T12:33:02","modified_gmt":"2020-09-20T02:33:02","slug":"department-to-lead-water-study","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2019\/08\/27\/department-to-lead-water-study\/","title":{"rendered":"Department To Lead Water Study"},"content":{"rendered":"
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South Burnett Mayor Keith Campbell (Photo: SBRC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

August 27, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

The State Government has taken over as the lead agency in the $2 million South Burnett \/ North Burnett regional water project.<\/p>\n

Mayor Keith Campbell said an agreement had been signed between the two councils, SunWater and the\u00a0Department of Natural Resources, Mining and Energy.<\/p>\n

Representatives from all four parties had formed a committee but the Department was the lead agency.<\/p>\n

Consultants to drive the feasibility study would be appointed soon.<\/p>\n

SBRC General Manager for Infrastructure, Aaron Meehan, told the August Council meeting the SBRC would collaborate with the Department.<\/p>\n

Mayor Campbell said South Burnett irrigators would be kept informed about progress.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A water infrastructure idea floated at a Council consultation meeting with irrigators earlier this year in Kingaroy has received endorsement from an unlikely source.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The suggestion was to build a pipeline from the under-utilised Paradise Dam, near Biggenden, to Coalstoun Lakes and then further south to connect with the Tarong pipeline.<\/p>\n

This would put Paradise Dam water to good use and free up Boondooma Dam water for use by irrigators in the South and North Burnett areas.<\/p>\n

The Coalstoun Lakes Development Group (CLDG) presented the proposal to One Nation senators Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts when they visited Coalstoun Lakes on a listening tour last week.<\/p>\n

The Senators reportedly endorsed the idea, suggesting it would be a better use of Federal funding than sending money to Pacific nations.<\/p>\n

According to the CLDG, about 110,000 megalitres – or half of Queensland’s uncommitted water – is in Paradise Dam. This could support urban supplies and an expansion of cane, peanuts, avocados and other irrigation crops.<\/p>\n

The project is explained on the CLDG’s website<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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