Water transport comes at high price
TOOWOOMBA is one of six regional centres that is racking up bills carting drinking water as the state’s drought continues.
Queensland towns could face million dollar fees, according to The Brisbane Times, with Warwick and Stanthorpe also feeling the burn from the dry weather.
Water from dams in Toowoomba has been transported to Cambooya and Cecil Plains reservoirs since September last year, after council detected significant stresses on the bores.
A Toowoomba council spokesman said $105,000 had been spent on transporting water within the Toowoomba region during this period.
Water and waste chair Cr Nancy Sommerfield said the council had been working to ease water issues by means outside of “expensive” trucking.
“Cecil Plains has been the most affected, however we believe we have found a solution there short-term and longterm, which will help to alleviate trucking,” Cr Sommerfield said.
“If we do any transporting it will be from a local farm into Cecil Plains, which is a short journey and a good outcome.”
She said although trucking did occur within the Toowoomba area, it was much less frequent than in neighbouring centres.
“Trucking water is not a good outcome,” she said.
“We don’t have much going on in the Toowoomba region. It’s very expensive and something you couldn’t do longterm.
“Other regional centres are in dire straits, it’s sad to see.”
Southern Downs Mayor Tracie Dobie has said Warwick could run out of water by December 2020 if it does not receive rain over the summer.
Cr Sommerfield said water licenses had placed added stress on natural water sources.
“All the aquifers in the southern part of our region are under stress, there is an overallocation of water licenses and when it comes to dry times that is when problems arise over these allocations.
“At some stage a state government will have to have another look at the allocations.”