Queensland Premier Steven Miles, Water Minister, Glenn Butcher, and MPs have joined Cairns Mayor Amy Eden to mark construction commencement on the Cairns Water Security Project Stage 1.
The Queensland Government increased funding for the Cairns Water Security Stage 1 Project to $195 million in the recent state budget. This is an additional $87.5 million from the state and complements the $107.5 million committed by the Federal Government.
Mr Miles said the State Government was delivering a $195 million investment in the critical project because water security matters to the people of Cairns.“The local MPs here have lobbied hard for this project, so it’s great to see work officially underway. This project means the community can rest assured they will have a good, stable water supply long into the future.”
The Cairns Water Security Stage 1 Project will strengthen Cairns’ future water supply. It includes a new water intake at the Mulgrave River, a new water treatment plant, water reservoirs at Gordonvale and supporting infrastructure to connect the new intake to the existing water network.
Additionally, the water security program will also help deliver flood protection works at the Behana Creek intake, an essential measure to help ensure water supply continuity and water quality during floods. The existing treatment plant at Behana will be replaced by the new water treatment plant built at Gordonvale.
Federal Minister for Emergency Management and Minister for Cities, Jenny McAllister, said, “We know how important water security and availability is for the Cairns community and the region’s economic growth..
“This project will help future-proof the region, not only supporting jobs during the construction but ensuring families, businesses and farmers can access sustainable, consistent and reliable drinking water.”
In December 2023, Cairns Regional Council awarded John Holland Queensland a design and construction contract after a rigorous 12-month procurement process.
Construction is expected to commence in August 2024, weather permitting, and the project is expected to be complete in 2026. Construction is expected to support more than 1,600 construction jobs.
“We’re always there to help councils with their water infrastructure needs. The Queensland Government’s $195 million boost will future-proof Cairns’ water security,” Mr Butcher said.
“This isn’t just a water security boost – it is a cost-of-living boost because our funding is helping Council keep rates and water bills as low as possible.”
The Queensland Government’s $195 million funding builds on its extensive record of support for Cairns’ water security. Previous commitments to bolster the city’s water supplies include upgrades to the Freshwater Creek Water Treatment Plant and improvements to the Earlville Trunk Sewers, both of which received support through the Building Our Regions program.
Cairns Mayor, Amy Eden, said the project has had strong community and business support, as well as unanimous support across all levels of government. .
“We are thrilled to celebrate the start of construction today with our State and Federal Government partners and leaders from our local community.
“We know that every drop of water counts, especially when every drop is underpinned by significant capital investment.”
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