THE QUEENSLAND Government plan to triple the capacity of the Gold Coast Tugun Desalination Plant has been met with criticism from the local residents and councillors.
Gold Coast Mayor Ron Clarke says the plans could force the Gold Coast give up its own water to supply 75% of greater Brisbane’s daily water intake within the next 20 years.
The Queensland Water Commission advised Mayor Clarke in a letter that a Gold Coast expansion plan would be a viewed as an option by 2028.
The Commission’s letter referenced a pre-feasibility report for the draft South East Queensland Water Strategy, which found that the Tugun Desalination Plant could be upgraded to pump out 405ML of water each day.
The $1.18b Gold Coast Tugun Desalination Plant is already providing around 25% of Brisbane's daily water needs and supplies more than 130ML to the southeast Queensland water grid each day.
According to Queensland Premier Anna Bligh, it would be preferable to build desalination plants in southeast Queensland, with Lytton, Marcoola and Bribie Island touted as potential sites. However, expanding the existing Gold Coast plant is considered a strong reserve option.
The Commission’s report estimates that tripling the capacity of the Gold Coast Desalination Plant would have a capital cost of $1.26b with a further $81m for operational costs.
It would also require the construction of a larger seawater pipeline, new storage tanks and bulk storage reservoirs and a new 1500mm steel pipeline to be installed beside the recently laid pipes or along the Pacific Motorway.
Tugun councillor Chris Robbins says the plan would also come with serious social costs, with residents in limbo over the suburb's future. Nearby sporting clubs were already suffering from damaged fields and facilities caused by the plant construction and had hoped to move to new areas in the future.
Add a comment