Building water security
LOCKYER Valley irrigators are a step closer to securing a constant water supply.
The group has obtained a $1.4 million grant from the Queensland Government to develop a Lockyer Valley and Somerset Water Security business case.
The announcement of the business case is a milestone for farmers in the region who have long desired water security for their farms.
A board consisting of grower-representatives and local government has been formed to help in the facilitation of the project which is managed by Business Queensland.
The project is set to investigate all water options and pipeline routes available, such as Wivenhoe Dam water, recycled water, or combinations of water sources, to find a solution that benefits the entire community.
Along with green-lighting the business case, the Queensland Government has also approved up to
$1.9 million in grants for both the Toowoomba and Lockyer Valley regional councils to advance infrastructure projects from ideas into solid proposals, under round two of the Maturing the Infrastructure Pipeline Program.
Growcom commends the Somerset and Lockyer councils, along with fruit and vegetable growers across each regions, for their hard work and team effort in achieving this result.
It’s encouraging to see local governments take seriously the issues irrigators in the area are facing.
This is a positive step towards creating water infrastructure that will properly serve the needs of growers doing it tough.
Although funding has been secured, now is not the time to get complacent.
Growers must knuckle down and present our case to the government to ensure water security for the betterment of our communities.
As the peak body for horticulture in Queensland, Growcom is proud to be a leading voice for growers across the state and will continue to work with government and industry to develop water infrastructure solutions for fruit and vegetable producers.