In June, Brisbane Lord Mayor, Campbell Newman, tapped into one of the City’s oldest natural water supply systems to help beat the worst drought and water supply crisis in living memory.
The opening of the Sunnybank Water Treatment Plant bore site signalled the tapping of the first new major water source in Brisbane for over 20 years –
and one that has not been used for over 175 years.
The valuable water supply resource has not been used in Brisbane for drinking purposes since the 1830s.
The Sunnybank Water Treatment Plant is the first of Brisbane’s five aquifer projects to provide treated drinking water directly to water pipes.
Councillor Newman said it was a crucial part of the ‘back to the future’ Regional Drought Project, which will help ensure the future supply of drinking water.
“The Sunnybank aquifer site is adding up to 2.5 million litres of treated groundwater a day to Brisbane’s dwindling water supply,” he said.
“There are a lot of country towns that use bore water for drinking purposes. The very big lesson we must acknowledge is that this excellent source of drinking water must be used responsibly and sustainably.”
In total, the $75 million Brisbane Aquifer Project will create an additional 20 million litres of potable water per day – about six per cent of the City’s current drinking water supply.
Councillor Newman said the groundwater is coming from the Sunnybank Formation, a dynamic underground sand based water system that stretches from Greenbank to the Brisbane River.
“New water being added to the mains from the aquifer project will be treated to the same high standards as the current water supply,” he said. “The new water treatment plants will filter, disinfect and stabilise the groundwater to ensure it meets the Australian Drinking Water Quality Guidelines.”
For further information contact Brisbane City Council on (07) 3403 8888.
