Health benefits will flow to Stanthorpe residents through the Storm King Dam Pipeline project, made possible through almost $4 million from the Palaszczuk Government.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the Queensland Government was supporting communities like Stanthorpe.
“I have promised the 15,000 people of Warwick and Stanthorpe that I will not allow them to run out of drinking water, and I will keep that promise” the Premier said.
“That’s why I have given SEQ Water until the end of April to advise on the best option to build a pipeline to connect Warwick and Stanthorpe to the SEQ water grid.
“This is on top of local works that have been completed and that the Minister is inspecting today.”
Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe congratulated the Southern Downs Regional Council for delivering the Storm King Dam pipeline project, which was funded through the 2017-19 Local Government Grants and Subsidies Program (LGGSP).
“This Council identified the need for the pipeline for this community and the environment, and it’s a project that has, along the way, supported or created 15 jobs,” Mr Hinchliffe said.
“This has been an enormous undertaking, constructing almost nine kilometres of pipeline between Storm King Dam and the Mount Marley Water Treatment Plant as well as enabling the Council to install two new storage tanks also connected to the pipeline.
“The new pipeline replaces the old deteriorating cast iron raw water mainline and lead joints that constructed 65 years ago.”
Mr Hinchliffe also inspected new infrastructure at the Stanthorpe Industrial Area, funded through $775,000 from the Palaszczuk Government’s $600 million Works for Queensland program.
The project included the installation of water and wastewater infrastructure, kerb and channelling, electricity and communications and road construction.
“These works have extended this area for businesses to expand as well as attract new businesses, and in doing so, will give Stanthorpe an economic lift with flow-on effects to families through jobs,” Mr Hinchliffe said.
“Through Works for Queensland, Southern Downs has had $8.7 million allocated to 30 projects, which have created or supported 265 jobs.”
Southern Downs Mayor Tracy Dobie thanked the Government for the funding.
“Both the Works for Queensland program and Local Government Grants and Subsidies Program have been enormously important in helping the Council deliver much needed infrastructure for the community,” Mayor Dobie said.
“The projects carried out are not only creating jobs, they are improving sustainability and livability right across Southern Downs.
“It’s a wonderful example of what can be achieved when the two levels of Government work together.”
