Milestone for $120m water project

Wamuran Irrigation Scheme has reached a major milestone with more than 13km of installed in 12 months since the $120 million project was announced.

More than 1.7km of that has been drilled underground using horizonal direction drilling (HDD).

The scheme, set to be operational by mid-2024, will give year-round water security for a number of Wamuran farmers, while managing wastewater from Caboolture South Treatment Plant.

Unitywater Executive Manager Sustainable Infrastructure Solutions Daniel Lambert said the project team and contractors had installed three-quarters of the new pipeline.

“We’re installing 17km of new pipe, which will connect to an existing 5km section that was completed as part of early project works,” Mr Lambert said.

“Once completed, the 22km pipeline will supply Class A recycled water to farms in the Wamuran region.

“Just last week a concrete slab was poured at Moodlu Quarry which will host a three megalitre (3 million litres) balance tank to store the treated recycled water before being distributed to farms.

“This project has created hundreds of jobs for locals, with approximately 150 construction workers currently on site between the Moodlu Quarry and Caboolture.

“As the Moreton Bay region continues to grow and we produce higher volumes of recycled water, we will be able to connect additional customers to the scheme.”

Mr Lambert said the scheme would also help Unitywater meet its 2050 sustainability goal of zero nutrients diverted or offset from waterways.

“We’re the first water utility in Australia to commit to zero nutrients to waterways and this scheme will help us do just that,” he said.

“It will divert 2.6 gigalitres of recycled water from the Caboolture River each year, saving 11 tonnes of nitrogen and 1.8 tonnes of phosphorous from entering the waterway.”