Over a barrel

IF REGULAR readers of these columns believe the Great Wivenhoe Pipeline Caper is over, think again.

There’s been a new development. But a quick refresher of the timeline is relevant.

The original Bulk Water Supply Agreement (BWSA) for the Wivenhoe pumping pipeline was drawn up to run from FY2009/10 for 10 years until its expiry on January 28, 2020, and contains various provisions that allow it to be extended – by agreement of the parties – out to January 28, 2030.

Any application to extend was required to be initiated (by the council) some time between January 28, 2019, and July 28, 2019.

The pipeline was severely damaged in the floods of 2011 and was not officially signed over for council use until

December 2012 with access charges commencing from July 2013.

The heavy rainfall preceding the floods of January 2011 completely filled all TRC dams and pumping from Wivenhoe was not commenced until mid-2020 (i.e. after the official expiry date of the original BWSA).

And now for the new development in this strange saga.

In a recent exchange of posts on Facebook in which the council was seeking to promote a better understanding of the

pipeline and its operation, I pointed out certain out-of-date statements in the posted FAQ’s. The council’s (FB) response acknowledged my comments but included the following little gem:

“Regarding the contract with SEQ Water (for the continuing supply of bulk water from Wivenhoe), while it was due for review last year, both parties are still in discussions about this and a new agreement has not been finalised yet. Until this occurs, the existing contract and arrangements continue”. What?

Its now been over two years since the earliest time TRC could have started negotiations and yet the matter of our

reliance on Wivenhoe is still under discussion.

My antenna are telling me there is something more fundamental afoot.

With the Mayor’s recently reported moves to establish a consultative group encompassing many Downs region councils in furthering discussions about overall future regional water security, I wonder if the sticking point indicates the state government’s intention to compulsorily transfer council’s bulk water functions – dams and raw water pipelines – to SEQ Water (refer my letter “Water Warning” published in these columns 27/01/21).

This model – where the state government authority becomes the wholesale supplier of untreated water and councils become the retail outlets for treating and distributing the final product – is already in operation in many places throughout Queensland.

On the other hand, I suppose it could simply be that SEQ Water want to charge too much now they have us over a barrel. Two things seem certain. Circumstances around Toowoomba Region’s long term water supplies are changing (and not necessarily to the benefit of consumers), and I’ll bet ratepayers will not be advised of any new arrangements until everything is “done and dusted”.

TONY LAKE, Meringandan West