The Queensland Water Commission (QWC) have undertaken preliminary assessments as part of the second phase investigations for possible sites for future desalination plants in South East Queensland (SEQ).

The Commission is now consulting with Councils on technical reports (see below) which have been received to date in the Phase 2 studies and supported the preliminary findings.

Sites under consideration were identified in the first phase of the studies completed in early 2007 and included in the draft South East Queensland Water Strategy. The draft Strategy indicated that additional sources of water will not be required before 2028, unless brought forward as part of a response to a drought as severe as the current Millennium Drought. Current projections are that the additional supply requirement could be up to about 850 million litres per day (ML/day) by 2056.

Through consultation on the draft Strategy and as part of the Phase 2 studies a further three possible sites were identified. Two additional sites at the mouth of the Brisbane River, on land that is controlled by the Port of Brisbane Corporation and Brisbane Airport Corporation and a potential expansion to the existing Gold Coast Desalination Facility at Tugun on the Gold Coast. 

During Phase 2 teams of environmental experts, engineers and planners have investigated the feasibility of locating a desalination plant on the sites. The interim findings of the study have formed the basis of the preliminary categorisation of sites as 'priority', 'reserve' or 'excluded'.  

In undertaking the analysis, the Commission has sought to:

• maintain enough ‘priority' and ‘reserve' sites to potentially accommodate desalination facilities with a combined capacity in excess of 1,000 ML/day for the long-term
• maintain diversity in the location of sites within SEQ
• recognise that future technological change may improve the viability of some sites in the future
• identify two ‘priority' sites for detailed investigation as potential responses to another severe drought, if it were to occur in the short term.

The completion of the detailed studies will now occur, with a view to confirming priority and reserve sites in final advice to the Queensland Government as part of the South East Queensland Water Strategy, due for publication in mid 2009.

Supporting documents

Site analysis

• Appendix A (PDF, 406KB) 
• Appendix A2 - part 1 (PDF, 6MB)
• Appendix A2 - part 2 (PDF, 1.71MB)
• Appendix A - part 3 to 6 (PDF, 3MB)
• Appendix A - part 7 and 8 (PDF, 307KB)
• Appendix A Supporting info - part 1 (PDF, 9.7MB)
• Appendix A Supporting info - part 2 (PDF, 9.5MB)
• Appendix A Supporting info - part 3 (PDF, 240KB)
• Appendix A Supporting info - part 4 (PDF, 4.8MB)

Preliminary Engineering

• Appendix B - Prelim Engineering - part 1 (PDF, 215MB)
• Appendix B - Prelim Engineering - part 2 (PDF, 2.75MB)
• Appendix B - Prelim Engineering - part 3 (PDF, 9.83MB)
• Appendix B - Prelim Engineering - part 4 (PDF, 2.87MB)

Approvals Advice

• Appendix E Approvals Advice (PDF, 254KB)

Moreton Bay Brine Dispersion Modelling

• HWP Synthesis Report Desalination (PDF, 880KB)
• Arup Modelling Report (PDF, 7.37MB)
• C1 BaseCase Process (PDF, 107KB)
• C2a Gibson Island Post Process (PDF, 1.27MB)
• C2b EbbTide Post Process (PDF, 523KB)
• C3 Fishermans Post Process (PDF, 1.22MB)
• C4 MudWest Post Process (PDF, 966KB)
• C5 MudEast Post Process (PDF, 455KB)
• C6 MiddleBanks Post Process (PDF, 363KB)
• Fishermans Post Process (PDF, 369KB)
• GibsonIs Post Process (PDF, 370KB)
• MudEast Post Process (PDF, 215KB)
• MudWest Post Process (PDF, 277KB)
• NorthBay Post Process (PDF, 104KB)

Gold Coast Desalination Expansion Study

• GCFD Expansion Prefeasibility Study 2009 (PDF, 647KB)

Aviation Advice Sunshine Coast Airport

• Desal aero study report (PDF, 362KB)