Council pushes water project

TOWNSVILLE City Council is hopeful that construction on the Haughton Pipeline duplication project will begin before the end of the year, with the infrastructure to be completed in 26 months.

The council called for expressions of interest for the pipeline’s construction yesterday with an industry forum expected to be held on November 15.

Mayor Jenny Hill said the council was confident the project could be delivered on time.

“From when we turn the first sod it will take us 26 months to complete the project,” she said.

“We believe we’ll be able to deliver it on time.”

Cr Hill said she hoped the first sod would be turned before the end of the year.

“Once we’ve completed our industry consultations and we’ve got the packages out – we’ve put out the EOIs yesterday, they ( tenders) will become available shortly,” she said.

“Not only is it about getting local contractors involved but it’s about building local capabilities.

“From this we’re hoping that our local guys can look to the next big pipeline – that they can then be able to tender for and have expertise in that area.”

The final design for the pipeline is “nearly completed” with Cr Hill citing that some changes had to be made following recommendations from the Water Taskforce.

“This included a bigger pipe from what we had initially anticipated and some minor changes, that’s being done as we speak,” she said.

“For the past three to four years we’ve been going out looking at the corridor, doing what we need to do, to secure any land that we need so that when it came to this point we were ready to commence construction.”

The Bulletin reported yesterday there were concerns around a design patent which could affect construction of the pipes locally, however the council’s acting director for infrastructure and operations Mike Chiodo said there were no issues.

“The only patent issue that actually could exist is to do with the jointing of the pipes and the coating of the pipes,” he said. “There is some IP ( intellectual property) that is specifically owned by an individual company that’s well known for developing those pipes, however the actual pipes themselves can still be manufactured locally. ”