5 July, 2023
Pre-construction begins on water pipeline
Survey work is currently underway to inform the final route for the Toowoomba to Warwick Pipeline.
The pipeline is anticipated to cost around $300 million and to create more than 400 jobs during construction.
It will carry water from Wivenhoe Dam to Toowoomba via existing water infrastructure and then deliver water to Warwick through a new 109-kilometre pipeline, providing a drought contingency supply for the Southern Downs and a permanent water supply to Clifton, Nobby, Greenmount and Cambooya.
In the 2023-24 financial year, $13.4 million will be spent on pre-construction work.
Geotechnical work and consultation with local landholders will form part of the pre-construction phase.
The pipeline will have the capacity to transfer up to 10.3 megalitres per day from Wivenhoe Dam.
Early planning for the route shows its roughly following Cudmores Road and Watts Siding Road between Cambooya and Greenmount, Greenmount Nobby Road, Felton Clifton Road between Nobby and Clifton and Logan, Herzig and Elphinstone roads between Clifton and Allora.
The expected project completion is in early 2027, weather and construction conditions permitting.
Toowoomba Regional Council will receive $15 million over four years from the Queensland Government for the construction of water treatment facilities to provide treated water to
the communities Clifton, Nobby, Greenmount and Cambooya.
To identify and reduce water losses across its reticulation network, $8.5 million has been allocated to Southern Downs Regional Council for water reticulation monitoring.
The Toowoomba to Warwick Pipeline will be owned and operated by Seqwater.
Seqwater General Manager Major Projects, Barbara van Heerden said while Warwick and Toowoomba have local water supply dams, this new pipeline provides more options to manage water supply challenges arising from intermittent rainfall, drought and population growth.
“Early pre-construction works, including surveying, geotechnical work and landholder consultation will continue throughout the corridor during 2023,” Ms van Heerden said.
“These important works will help us understand the terrain and will inform the detailed design work, including the final route recommendation.”
