A high-level roundtable took place in Mount Isa to examine ways to tackle the cost of providing drinking water to the North-West.
The roundtable, hosted by the Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water, looks at water management and the existing water supply arrangements in place between Mount Isa, Cloncurry and North-West communities.
Mount Isa Water Board (MIWB) supplies bulk water to industrial customers and drinking water to Mount Isa City Council and is the trustee for Lake Moondarra. Fifty per cent of dividends and tax equivalent payments from MIWB are returned to the City Council each year. In 2022-23, Council received $2.8 million in dividends through this arrangement.
Mount Isa’s drinking water primarily comes from Lake Moondarra, but when storage levels at Lake Moondarra are low, it can also be accessed from Lake Julius.
Mount Isa City Council, Cloncurry Shire Council, the Mount Isa Water Board, Sunwater and Robbie Katter MP, the Member for Traeger, were invited to attend the roundtable.
The 2024-25 Queensland state budget included $7.9 million to improve MIWB’s water infrastructure, including electricity upgrades at Lake Julius and renewing the Fred Haigh Pump Station.
As part of the package to deliver the pipeline, which is a branch of the 110-kilometre North West Queensland Water Pipeline from Ernest Henry Mine, the Queensland Government subsidises the cost of drinking water to the Cloncurry community, this subsidy totalled $7 million in 2024-25.
“When I met the new Mayor of Mount Isa recently, I committed to organising a roundtable, to bring together key stakeholders to look at ways we can work together to tackle water prices in the North West,” said Minister for Water Glenn Butcher.
The State Government continues to support North-West Councils with water infrastructure, with $5 million provided through Building Our Regions for nine projects.
This includes Cloncurry Shire Council’s Electro Chlorination Project and planning work for Mount Isa City Council’s sewer system to the Ryan Road industrial area and the Camooweal Water Treatment Plant.
The roundtable follows the State Government’s record package of cost-of-living relief in the recent state budget, including $1,000 energy bill rebates for all Queenslanders.
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