State Member for Scenic Rim, Jon Krause, has described the state of Canungra’s water security as a ‘dire failure’ by the State Government.
In Parliament on 12 September, Krause said Brisbane and the rest of South-East Queensland have no idea regarding water insecurity compared to Canungra. “Canungra’s water treatment plant has had to be shut down and water has been trucked into town at least twice since 2019,” he said.
“It faces that prospect again unless there is good rain soon.”
“That is because Canungra is off grid, and the state has allowed development to go ahead without planning for water.”
“That development was as a result of court decisions, but the state could have used its powers to prevent it -and I called on them some four or five years ago to do this -but it did not.”
“Worse, those living off the town system will be faced with either getting water via ‘cubes’ -holding only 1,000 litres of water -at the local Urban Utilities standpipe, or the expensive option of getting a 12,000 litre to 20,000 litre delivery that is picked up from, in all likelihood, Beaudesert or Maudsland.”
“More people around Canungra live off the water grid than on it. I again call on Seqwater and Urban Utilities to work out a way to address this issue.”
“This all results from the failure of state authorities to better plan for Canungra since 2008. The old Beaudesert shire council started plans for water security in Canungra, but until a few months ago Seqwater and Urban Utilities had done literally nothing to progress this.”
“Their answer is to truck water to Canungra when the creek dries up. One way or another, either through better water security or a better solution to get water to off-grid users when Canungra’s water treatment plant shuts down, this needs addressing.”
“In the meantime, the state should do what it can to prevent the situation from getting worse through more development.”
“A lack of water security impacts Canungra town water users, off-grid users and landholders upstream and downstream of Canungra towards Tamborine.”
Canungra is currently at Level 1 Drought Readiness, with flow in the Canungra Creek at seven megalitres per day.Level 2 will be reached if the Creek flow reduces to one megalitre per day.
Scenic Rim Regional Council’s Division 3 Councillor, Virginia West said Council has installed a bore and water tanks in D J Smith Park provide irrigation.
“Residents will have noticed the installation of a bore in D J Smith Park some months ago and work has commenced on connecting the irrigation system and tank to the bore,” she said.
“This means that the park can continue to look spectacular without potable water being used.”
“I’m proud of the way our community and Council are working together to be water wise.”
