Here’s Haughton Channel

IN LAST week’s article we introduced the first of seven newly designed diagrams.

It showed the old 36.5km and new stage 1 duplicate pipeline route from the existing Haughton Pump Station to Ross Dam.

It also showed the recommended stage 2 extension to the Haughton Pump Station from Tom Fenwick Pump Station on the Burdekin River near Clare.

The Haughton Main Channel, also marked, is where our current volume of max 130ML per day is pumped from. As part of Townsville City Council’s proposed works for Stage 1, SunWater will upgrade the Haughton Channel at Townsville’s expense.

In the April 2017 WFTAG Interim Report we proposed the infrastructure be installed as a single un- staged project. A pipeline would extend from the Tom Fenwick Pump Station direct to Ross Dam. However the State Government grant of $ 225 million is for stage 1 only, so the city’s growing supply will continue to be drawn from the Haughton Channel using a new pump station at the Haughton Balancing Storage.

A third tour of the Lower Burdekin- Haughton Sector in May has provided a chance for WFTAG to assess the long term viability of drawing additional water from this channel, and our preference for the un- staged pipeline. Importantly, on this third tour, hosted by SunWater, the environmental engineer who designed the main channel 30 years ago accompanied us.

Council is proceeding with stage 1 and stating it will provide full water security. This view could put completion of Stage 2 on the back burner for 15 years or more. Waiting that long will see construction costs soar.

As demand increases and existing power sources become less and less affordable, future councils may again choose to impose severe restrictions to save pumping costs.

It is WFTAG’s view and that of the Water Security Taskforce chairman that incorporating renewables is critical.

Council’s proposal to pump the old and new pipeline simultaneously would not only raise the current pumping costs significantly but put strain on the 30- year- old infrastructure described by the chairman of the Water Security Taskforce as being “in dire condition”.

It also means the larger volume of water would be drawn from the channel, not directly from Burdekin River.

The diagram this week shows the 32km Haughton open channel and pump stations at either end, along with WFTAG’s preliminary route for the Burdekin Haughton pipeline segment.

Subsequent articles will show the channel in more detail.