THE YEAR IN REVIEW

ON November 27, 2016 the Water For Townsville Action Group formed, following Townsville City Council advice through the media earlier in the year, that “Townsville does not have a water problem … it has a water consumption problem”.

Political alignment was pointless as both major parties, at all levels of government had failed to deliver for decades. Despite hundreds of election campaign promises, plans, strategies, feasibility studies and MP salaries, water security had never made it as Townsville’s top infrastructure priority.

On December 16, 2016 the Federal Government awarded their first ever 15- year City Deal to Townsville.

A Water Taskforce was convened with Brad Webb appointed as independent ( volunteer) chairman. His panel of four included a state and federal representative and the current TCC CEO. Their brief was to research the problem and present an Interim Report to council and the state by June 30th with recommendations.

WFTAG commenced meetings with Mr Webb in February and a collaboration started where our own research was shared freely in the spirit of a “community partnership” advocated by City Deal ( but unfunded).

Before the formation of the Water Taskforce and WFTAG, council had commenced the design for a second pipeline to the Haughton pump station. The original one ( built in 1988) has no backup and uses ageing, expensive technology ($ 34,000 per day). The volume it can supply barely keeps up with consumption on level 3 restrictions, and optimum pumping trigger when Ross Dam drops to 15 per cent. The new 1290 OD pipeline was a duplicate 36.5km route and was said to be almost complete after an 18- month design process, corridor mapping, land resumption, EI and other preparatory steps. ONE YEAR LATER — THE KNOWN

• Water security has become the city’s top infrastructure priority.

• The Water Taskforce interim report was released June 30, 2017.

• There is $ 225 million from the state for the recommended stage ( 15 years security).

• WFTAG and the volunteer taskforce chairman have been very involved in seeking solutions.

• TCC has not yet completed the design for the recommended 1800 OD pipe modification.

• It is highly unlikely that the new pipes can be manufactured locally. If made elsewhere freight may increase the cost by up to $ 18 million.

• Stage 2 has not been designed or costed by the taskforce but council and the state have been reported as saying stage 1 will provide full water security. WHAT IS UNKNOWN

Completion was originally stated as two years from the June 30 taskforce interim report i. e. by June 30, 2019. This was reiterated on August 7, 2017 when the Townsville Bulletin reported that “Mayor Jenny Hill will today ask the Premier to fast- track funding for the duplication of the Haughton pipeline … requesting that the $ 225 million be delivered over the next two years instead of four.” At the most recent WFTAG- TCC meeting ( December 8) the time frame was stated as 26 months from the Final Taskforce Report not due until September, 2018. The City Deal expects renewable energy to be incorporated into new projects. There is no specific detail about this for stage 1.

What WFTAG will focus on in 2018:

• Continue to offer an online forum for community input and to keep the community informed through various media about progress on the new infrastructure.

• Continue collaboration with the Water Taskforce.

• Continue lobbying all levels of government to design and co- fund stage 2 of the taskforce recommendation, i. e. extend the pipeline from HBSA to Clare, connect to solar power, extra pump station – un- staged. Delay at this time may mean another three decades of waiting.

• Continue to meet with politicians and lobby council to fast- track design and construction of the Toonpan Treatment Plant. Without this, full long- term security is not possible.

• Continue to ask council to communicate with the residents when, why and how they plan to use the new infrastructure to ensure the city is free from level 3 restrictions.

WFTAG thanks all members and our major sponsors: Fuji Xerox, Brad Robins Legal Centre, Hydrosun, Day Dawn Nursery, Budget Colour Copies, Aussie Drones ( Mark Luton) and the editors and journalists at the Townsville Bulletin. Special thanks to our dedicated admin team and active volunteers.

Have a Merry soggy Christmas and a healthy new year. Please join and follow us in 2018.