Important change is underway in the water industry, including the building of major new water assets by the Queensland Government. These assets, which form part of the Water Grid, include new dams, a desalination plant, extra groundwater sources and the Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme. 

Regional inter-connector pipelines are being built to allow water from new and existing water sources to be moved around the Grid. By connecting the region’s major water sources, water treatment plants and bulk water transport networks, the Water Grid will enable the co-ordination of delivery of urban and industrial water supplies across the SEQ region.

The Queensland Water Commission's draft South East Queensland Water Strategy sets out Level of Service (LOS) objectives for supplies from the Water Grid. LOS objectives provide a basis for establishing a secure water supply through:

• Timely implementation of supply and demand initiatives to meet future water needs as a result of population growth; and
• A pre-determined Drought Response Plan.

A System Operating Plan will for the Water Grid will:

• Facilitate water sharing across the South East Queensland (SEQ) region;
• Provide operating principles that link major water storages and ensure that water can be moved to where it is needed. Operating principles will need to consider factors such as:
  • varying capacity and performance of water storages;
  • technical issues relating to operating water storages, reservoirs and pipelines; and
  • water quality and environmental considerations.
• Advising the Water Grid Manager on how best to operate the water grid in accordance with the System Operating Plan.

The water grid will:

• Provide a network of two-way pipelines to connect major bulk water sources in the region;
• Allow water from areas of water surplus to be moved to areas that face a shortfall;
• Allow risk to be managed at a regional level rather on a storage basis;
• Allow the coordinated use of all major South East Queensland water supply sources, including:
  • the Wivenhoe/Somerset system;
  • Hinze dam;
  • the future Traveston Crossing and Wyaralong dams;
  • the proposed desalination plant at Tugun on the Gold Coast; and
  • the Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme.

Potential water grid for moving water between storage facilities in South East Queensland