National Water Week a chance to think about water use

Fraser Coast residents are being encouraged to think about their water use as National Water Week shines a spotlight on the importance of water in our daily lives.

The theme for National Water Week, which starts today, is “Reimagining our Water Future”, with a focus on reimagining the way we use and reuse water to ensure there’s enough of it in the future.

Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour said Council had a range of strategies underway or in development aimed at securing the Fraser Coast’s water future.

“Over the next 20 to 30 years, the population of the Fraser Coast is expected to increase significantly, which will impact on how water is provided and how it is used,” he said.

“Based on current climate and population forecasts, the most recent strategies have identified that our current dams and weirs will provide safe water supply yields for Hervey Bay until at least 2046 and Maryborough until at least 2066.

“In coming weeks, Council will begin the development of a new Water Supply Security Strategy that will reassess the options available for future water supplies, and when they are required.

“Council will also seek to understand the community’s expectations around the frequency and duration of water restrictions in the future.”

Cr Seymour said Council was also engaging with the community on the development of a Recycled Water Strategy and a Biosolids Strategy.

“The Fraser Coast is a national leader in ensuring our precious water does not go to waste. Our recycled water scheme, which has been in place for more than 25 years, routinely uses 90 to 100 per cent of the Fraser Coast’s treated wastewater on golf courses, turf farms, sporting fields and sugar cane crops,” he said.

“With our population rising, volumes of effluent will increase which can be recycled and managed in different ways. Similarly, Council is reviewing its biosolids strategy to identify potential alternative reuse options and is moving ahead with plans to upgrade the Pulgul Sewage Treatment Plant.”

More information about the various strategies under way on the Fraser Coast is available at https://www.frasercoast.qld.gov.au/securing-water-future and information about National Water Week is available at https://www.awa.asn.au/AWA_MBRR/About_AWA/National_Water_Week.aspx