Off-Grid Water Supply Upgrades
We are planning ahead now so future generations have the water they need. To help ensure reliable water supply for our off-grid communities and support growing populations in these areas, we are currently investigating improvements at Lowood, Kilcoy and Esk Water Treatment Plants, and Canungra and Dayboro Water Supply Schemes.
About the upgrades
Seqwater supplies drinking water to 16 locations not connected to the SEQ Water Grid, known as off-grid communities. The water for these communities is sourced and treated locally, then distributed to households and businesses.
Seqwater’s Water Security Program 2023 sets out a 30-year plan to ensure we continue to maintain high levels of water security for South East Queenslanders. The Program sets out our plan to continue to provide a secure water supply through maximising the use of existing assets, as well as investigating future water supply options.
Our team continuously assesses upgrades and augmentations to the bulk water supply system, to ensure peak demands are met, system resilience is maintained, and long-term water security is provided.
We review our Water Security Program every five years, with the next review now underway.
In consultation with our water service providers, we have determined that we will need to supply more water to off-grid communities in the future to keep up with growing demand, particularly in the Canungra, Kilcoy, Lowood, Esk and Dayboro regions.
Investigations are currently underway on water supply options and the timing for investment into upgrades.
Together with our water service providers, local council and the community, we are committed to exploring all options to improve water security for our off-grid communities and make sure future generations have the water they need.
Find out more about each project:
Canungra
Canungra, located at the base of Mount Tamborine, is not connected to the SEQ Water Grid and its water supply is sourced from Canungra Creek.
The creek level is directly influenced by a number of factors including rainfall, residential and non-residential demand, as well as upstream irrigation usage.
During extended dry periods, flows in the creek can reduce significantly or cease altogether, limiting the availability of raw water for treatment.
Seqwater has selected an off-stream storage as the preferred option to improve long-term water security for Canungra. This option would allow Seqwater to pump raw water from Canungra Creek to the reservoir in times of high flows and access it during times of low flows or drought to improve water supply reliability and support population growth in the area. We are committed to keeping the local community updated as planning progresses.
Lowood
The Lowood Water Treatment Plant is our largest off-grid facility and services the majority of the Lockyer Valley Region and the southern end of the Somerset Region, including the suburbs of Lowood, Fernvale, Gatton, Laidley, Plainlands and Helidon.
With the Lowood region continuing to grow, Seqwater is taking proactive steps to ensure the water supply system can reliably meet community needs, especially during peak demand periods.
As part of the Preliminary Business Case phase, a range of upgrade options are being carefully assessed to strengthen water reliability and resilience in Lowood and surrounding areas. These include improvements to treatment capacity and better management of raw water quality, helping ensure a dependable supply when it is needed most.
We are committed to keeping the local community updated as planning progresses.
Kilcoy
The Kilcoy Water Treatment Plant plays a vital role in supporting everyday life in the region, providing safe drinking water for local households, essential services and businesses, particularly Kilcoy Global Foods, who are a major commercial user.
We are progressing the Kilcoy Water Treatment Plant (WTP) Upgrade and Sludge Improvement projects to address increasing demand and improve water supply resilience.
While construction is already underway on a new treated water storage reservoir, multiple further upgrades to the WTP are proposed, including improvements to sludge management (the waste produced during the water treatment process) and an expansion of the existing treatment plant to increase capacity.
Design concepts are currently being finalised and the community will be kept updated as the project progresses.
Esk
We are investigating plans to rebuild the current Esk Water Treatment Plant (WTP), which is reaching the end of its service life.
The Esk WTP supplies drinking water to the township of Esk and Toogoolawah, located in the Somerset local government area. Raw water is sourced via an intake directly from Lake Wivenhoe and pumped 8km for treatment at the WTP.
The objective of the upgrade is to increase water supply resilience during wet weather events that effect raw water quality and support ongoing water security for the Esk and Toogoolawah region.
Dayboro
We are investigating long-term improvements for Dayboro to ensure we remain prepared for the future as the community grows and weather patterns change.
A Business Case is being developed to explore connecting Dayboro to the SEQ Water Grid via a new treated water pipeline. The proposed connection will improve water supply resilience and security, support future sustainable growth and provide a climate-independent water source for the community.
Contact the team
If you have any questions about these projects, contact us at:
- Phone 07 3432 7000 (during business hours)
- Email [email protected]
- Complete the Online feedback form
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