Unitywater is moving into construction on a major wastewater capacity upgrade designed to underpin long-term growth in the Moreton Bay region.
The Morayfield Wastewater Network Capacity Upgrade Project will be delivered in two stages, expanding the network to service new development areas in Morayfield South Central and Caboolture West over the next two decades.
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Why is wastewater infrastructure being expanded in Morayfield?
Population growth forecasts indicate around 126,000 additional residents will move into the corridor over the next 20 years. To accommodate that growth, Unitywater is investing in network upgrades that will also unlock approximately 6,000 residential lots.
Unitywater Executive Manager Sustainable Infrastructure Solutions Mike Basterfield said the project was central to supporting development while maintaining system reliability.
“Our first stage will deliver wastewater services for 26,000 people and includes upgrading two wastewater pumping stations in Coach Road West and Buchanan Road, and laying nearly three kilometres of wastewater pipeline,” Mr Basterfield said.
Stage one will focus on strengthening local network capacity, with upgrades to existing pump stations and new pipeline connections feeding into the broader system.
What will Stage Two of the Morayfield upgrade involve?
The second stage is designed to cater for the majority of future demand, providing wastewater services for around 100,000 residents.
“The second stage will deliver wastewater services for around 100,000 residents by decommissioning the current pipeline and installing a new one to increase capacity that connects the new development areas to our South Caboolture Wastewater Treatment Plant,” Mr Basterfield said.
The works are intended to increase hydraulic capacity, improve operational resilience and reduce the likelihood of overflows during extreme weather events.
“As the number of households in the region grows, the investment in these infrastructure upgrades will increase the network’s capacity, reliability and reduce the risk of overflows during extreme weather events,” he said.
The upgrade forms part of Unitywater’s broader $2 billion capital program over five years, focused on delivering water and wastewater infrastructure across its service area.
“We are committed to supporting growth in our region and this project forms part of our $2 billion investment over the next five years to deliver critical water and wastewater infrastructure,” Mr Basterfield said.
How will construction be delivered?
Unitywater will partner with Downer to deliver the works. Early stage one activities include geotechnical investigations and underground service locating using vacuum excavation.
Downer Executive General Manager Water Neal Firth said construction methods would vary depending on location.
“The majority of the wastewater pipeline will be installed using open trenching, however trenchless methods – like Horizontal Directional Drilling and micro-tunnelling – will be used in heavily populated and environmentally sensitive locations to minimise any disruption,” Mr Firth said.
“Our team is committed to delivering these works safely, efficiently, and with minimal disruption and we look forward to working closely with local residents and stakeholders throughout the project.”
Construction of stage one is expected to conclude by mid-2027, while stage two remains in the early design phase.