Water quality in Woodgate, Childers and the region’s coastal areas will greatly improve when the Gregory River and Kalkie Water Treatment Plants commence operations.
Water Services have been allocated funding as part of Council’s 2021-22 budget to ensure both facilities are operational within the next year.
The Gregory River Water Treatment Plant has been allocated $2.1 million while just over $9 million will go towards the Kalkie Water Treatment Plant upgrade.
The funding will finalise both projects, which have been staged across a few years.
Water services portfolio spokesman Cr Jason Bartels said the upgrades were a “significant investment” in future proofing the region’s water supply.
“The Gregory River Water Treatment Plant is set to benefit thousands of homes and businesses in the Childers and Woodgate area when it is up and running by October this year,” he said.
“The Kalkie Water Treatment Plant will provide better water supply to our coastal areas and will address taste and odour issues when it is operational in 2022.
“Overall, both of these major projects will improve water quality and also provide security of water for the future.
“We know this is an outcome our community has been calling for and after years of planning and design it is highly rewarding to see these significant infrastructure upgrades nearing completion.”
Cr Bartels said the upgrade to both water treatment plants was integral in keeping quality water flowing to service a fast-growing community.
“With our population increasing steadily, these upgrades will ensure a first-class water supply to cater for growth over the next few decades,” he said.
Over $15.9 million has been assigned in the budget to support water services in the next financial year and almost $4.3 million for wastewater.
The funding will go towards a number of projects, innovative processes and maintenance work across the Bundaberg Region.
View the budget documents on the Council website.
