News detail
Click here to go back to news listings

Water plants boost Whitsunday area

WHITSUNDAY Regional Council is moving forward with plans to construct water treatment plants in Bowen and Proserpine. The townships have endured dirty water including the E.Coli outbreak in Bowen early this year, resulting in a “boiled water alert” which affected large numbers of homes and businesses.

The previous Bowen Shire Council borrowed for a water pipeline from the Proserpine River to Bowen in 1990/1991 to ensure Bowen had a sustainable water supply.

The annual debt service payments amounted to $980,000 and with the 2009/2010 financial year arriving, it meant it could say goodbye to this debt and re-borrow for a water treatment plant along with the 40 per cent state subsidy.

However this subsidy is no longer available. Mayor Mike Brunker said a full cost pricing model was being prepared including building plants for Bowen and Proserpine.

“The estimated costs are $28 million for Bowen and $14 million for Proserpine,” he said.

Source: Daily Mercury


Click here to go back to news listings