Water woe to flow on for years

WATER Minister Mark Bailey has called for calm as a solution to Townsville’s water crisis looks years from resolution.

Labor Member for Townsville Scott Stewart this week called for funding commitments to two “plausible” options: a pipeline from the Burdekin Falls Dam to a Townsville treatment plant or a duplication of the existing Haughton water supply scheme.

Mr Stewart said the Townsville Water Taskforce would determine the best pipeline solution, but that all sides of politics and three levels of government needed to commit to funding.

Yesterday, Mr Bailey declined to give his or his government’s preferred option.

He said the taskforce, which is due to provide an interim report by June 30 and a final report by September 2018, should be left to do its work.

“We should let the taskforce do their work and not pre- empt outcomes,” Mr Bailey said.

He said the taskforce was established as part of the tripartite Townsville City Deal and was investigating short, medium and long- term solutions.

LNP Burdekin MP Dale Last said it would take two years for a second pipeline to be built, even with a decision made today.

“I think it is absolutely imperative that we make the decision and move ahead with that pipeline as a matter of urgency,” Mr Last said.

Katter’s Australian Party MP Bob Katter this week begged the audience at a taskforce forum to consider a new dam on the upper Burdekin River at Hells Gate.

“I plead with you to look at this once- in- a- lifetime situation,” Mr Katter said.

At the same forum, federal Labor MP Cathy O’Toole supported a gravity- fed pipeline from the Burdekin to Townsville and One Nation candidate for Townsville Allan Evans said the community should consider a shortterm solution and that Hells Gate would be a long- term project.