Budget good news for Mount Morgan water a win for CQ region
Richard Dinnen - Queensland Editor |
The Queensland Government pledge of $40.4 million in today’s State budget toward the Mount Morgan water pipeline has been hailed as a win for the whole central Queensland region.
The historic town’s 3,000 residents have lived with water supply problems for 20 years, with emergency restrictions since March 2021, due to an ongoing drought which has depleted the main supply dam.
Rockhampton Regional Council has been lobbying the Federal and State governments to help fund a reliable supply, with a pipeline from Gracemere, about 30 kilometres away, the preferred option.
Queensland Water Minister Glenn Butcher said Mount Morgan is one of the projects sharing $510 million announced in today’s budget for water infrastructure and planning.
Rockhampton Mayor, Tony Williams, welcomed the news.
“This commitment, together with the Federal funding of $3.5million and Council’s contribution of completing the business case can now see this project through to completion.
“From here, the next step will be to progress with the detailed design and we will be talking to the community as we move towards construction.”
Water Councillor, Donna Kirkland, said the pipeline project would put an end to expensive water trucking, and benefit all ratepayers across the region.
“Council has to spend around $5 million a year to truck water up to Mount Morgan. So to have this project funded now is a win for our entire region.
“What this does is bring certainty to those residents in Mount Morgan and we look forward to seeing it come to life in the near future, as I am sure they will too.”
Divisional Councillor Cherie Rutherford thanked the Mount Morgan community for their patience while Council completed the work to get the project up.
“How absolutely amazing to think that the Mount Morgan community will now have a secure permanent water source to benefit the residents today and allow the town to grow and prosper in the future.
“Thank you to the Mount Morgan residents for your patience and your water conservation efforts. Today is a real turning point.”
It’s understood the project will take two years to build.
