MEETING DEMANDS OF GROWING CITY

COUNCIL is to spend more than $1.8 billion on a major upgrade of the Gold Coast’s water and sewerage network to cope with the city’s booming population.

Infrastructure upgrades planned over a period of 48 years through until 2066 include:

● Delivery of the long-term recycled water release project.

● Major expansion of the city’s recycled water networks.

● Growth-related expansion and upgrades of the Pimpama, Coombabah and Merrimac sewage treatment plants.

● Major water and sewerage network upgrades in the city’s north to meet growth.

The ultimate plan is for offshore release of excess recycled water, which at the moment is released on both sides of the Gold Coast Seaway via two underwater pipeline diffuser systems.

The council has released the treated water since the 1980s. Release occurs only on outgoing tides to prevent nutrient buildup in the Broadwater.

The council will upgrade recycled water pump stations, complete underwater installations in the Broadwater from Quota Park, Biggera Waters to South Stradbroke Island, and Nerang River from Winchester St, Southport to Waterways Dve, Main Beach. The pipeline will be duplicated on South Stradbroke Island and an additional diffuser placed on the southern Seaway wall.