Time to turn tap on water security
THE recent announcement of $5.4bn for the Hells Gate Dam project near Townsville brings the total funding commitments made by state and federal governments to water projects in other parts of regional Queensland to more than $8bn.
We don’t begrudge other regions, but Cairns has a pressing, established need and a costeffective, environmentally sensitive, well-developed solution. Our $215m ask really is a drop in the ocean compared to what’s being committed elsewhere.
The recent business case options report showed that without state and federal funding for our project, the cost burden on our community is the equivalent of each water user paying an extra $226 a year for three decades or $6800 over 30 years.
Locals simply can’t afford this on their own and nor should they have to when state and federal governments are splashing water funding everywhere else – in and around Townsville, Rockhampton, near Mackay and near Bundaberg. Just not Cairns. Businesses and the community are backing our calls for state and federal investment.
We’ve also seen some positive comments from state and federal representatives. But the reality is, only formal funding commitments solve the problem.
Contrary to some suggestions, the water security issue has been known for years and isn’t a “surprise” for the other levels of government. Back in 2015 when the federal government launched its Northern Australia white paper, investment in water infrastructure in the north was flagged as a key priority, with Nullinga Dam identified as the project that would “secure Cairns’ long-term future (water) supply needs”.
And in 2019, when then Natural Resources Minister Anthony Lynham announced the Queensland government would not proceed with Nullinga Dam, he said: “The state government will pursue other water supply options to support development and jobs.” When that dam didn’t get built, the water security issue didn’t evaporate with it. The Cairns Water Security Stage 1 project was developed – with state knowledge – to deal with our imminent water needs.
We can’t continue to kick this can down the road. Remember, we’re talking drinking water here, an essential human need, not a discretionary luxury. We also hear talk of a willingness to support our project “if it stacks up”. Let’s be clear, it does stack up.
It’s been years in the planning, having been identified in the Cairns Water Security Strategy developed with the involvement of senior state representatives and endorsed by the council in 2015.
And we’ve been actively planning and progressing the project since then. It delivers new water capacity like a dam but at a fraction of the cost and with a much lighter environmental footprint. It is the best solution to the risk of a drinking water shortfall by 2026 – a fact that’s been confirmed in more than 900 pages of business case reporting already submitted to state and federal governments.
We have a well-planned and cost-effective solution that does stack up and is widely supported.
Governments are committing billions of dollars to water projects in other parts of the state and our ask really is a fraction of what’s being invested elsewhere.
If we don’t finalise the planning now and get building, we run the risk of running out of drinking water. The only thing missing is the funding commitments. With the federal election less than six weeks away and a state budget due in less than 90 days, the clock is ticking.
WE DON’T BEGRUDGE OTHER REGIONS, BUT CAIRNS HAS A PRESSING, ESTABLISHED NEED AND A COST-EFFECTIVE, ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE, WELL-DEVELOPED SOLUTION.