Discover how Infrastructure Project Solutions is helping to deliver a secure and sustainable future for the world-class Lockyer Valley agricultural industry.
The Lockyer Valley and Somerset region of Queensland – famous for being Australia’s ‘salad bowl’ – has long faced potential risk due to the lack of a sustainable and reliable water supply.
While much investigation has already taken place, the project has entered a new phase known as the Optimisation Assessment Phase (OAP), which is looking at bringing recycled water to the valley for irrigation and other high value uses.
IPS is excited to be working on the OAP as Owner Engineers and Project Managers for Lockyer Valley Regional Council (LVRC).
The Lockyer Valley typically provides almost 30% of Queensland’s horticultural produce and is especially important during the winter months as the source of most of the nation’s vegetables.
However, historical reliance on groundwater has seen fluctuations in production due to uncertainty and drought, which can often mean higher fruit and vegetables prices for families.
Increasing water supply and reliability to the region would delivery many significant community benefits, including higher production, more local jobs, new investment and the potential to develop new markets.
The Lockyer Valley and Somerset Water Security Scheme (LVSWSS) is also aimed at driving new tourism opportunities by activating the Adkinson, Bill Gunn and Lake Clarendon dams for recreation uses, such as fishing, boating and camping.
A key focus of the OAP is the possibility of reactivating the Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme (WCRWS), a currently dormant infrastructure project developed at a cost of around $2.5 billion when Queensland faced protracted drought conditions.
The WCRWS involved the construction of three advanced water treatment plants and connecting pipework which was aimed at improving the security of South East Queensland’s water supply by making purified recycled water available to power stations, industry and agriculture and directly into the Wivenhoe Dam should certain water security trigger levels be reached.
Now with the help of IPS, key stakeholders are looking at bypassing Wivenhoe Dam and sending the recycled water directly to Lockyer Valley for agricultural irrigation and other uses.
IPS is leading the new phase of the LVSWSS project on behalf of LVRC including the detailed project planning, engineering and technical management, stakeholder management and the execution of detailed works on behalf of Lockyer Valley Regional Council.
Find out more about our water sector experience here.
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