Water for Growth

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Council remains committed to delivering a modern, compliant water supply system that secures Charters Towers’ future, supports housing development, strengthens business opportunities, and ensures minimal interruptions for residents during construction.

The current water infrastructure servicing Charters Towers is in urgent need of upgrades, including the main reservoir and water mains, with much of the system outdated and requiring attention to secure the region’s water supply.

The current system is ageing and has limited capacity to meet the needs for new housing development in the Charters Towers region and upsizing this essential infrastructure will support and allow more housing development opportunities, including sub-divisions and/or estates, for our region.

Enticing new industrial/commercial business to Charters Towers will also add additional strain on an already in demand supply network.

Key upgrades that are required include:

• Construction of a new water storage reservoir within the footprint of the old concrete reservoir on Towers Hill
• Upgrade to 8 kms of existing and new town main water supply network
• A new booster pump station at the reservoir, and
• A new WTP Pump Station

The project, titled ‘Water for Growth’ has been broken down into a series of 7 smaller works packages that allow partial funding opportunities to be sought:

• Works Package 1 – Modify Towers Hill Steel Reservoir
• Works Package 2 – DN525 Pipeline Replacement (Part A)
• Works Package 3 – Network Extension and PRV’s
• Works Package 4 – Low Level Reservoirs and BPS and WTP BPS
• Works Package 5 – DN525 Pipeline Replacement (Part B)
• Works Package 6 – Decommissioning of Existing AC Main and Minor Network Upgrades
• Works Package 7 – Replace Towers Hill Reservoir

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF COMPLETING UPGRADES

Completing the Water Infrastructure Upgrade Project will ensure:

• Avoidance of the dire consequences of failure of the current water main.
• Increased capacity to deliver water to Charters Towers to match the capacity of the Water Treatment Plant.
• Improvement in water quality by having a dedicated delivery main to Towers Hill.
• Improvement in pumping efficiency, which will in turn reduce operating time and extend life expectancy.
• Increased water storage capacity to provide water to the town during infrastructure failures or natural disasters.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS IF WE DON’T

• Water supply interruptions
• Regulatory and legal risks
• Unable to support future growth
• Loss of reputation
• Higher maintenance costs

PROGRESS

Quick overview:

• Funding received for WP 1 & 2 with works to commence shortly
• Detailed Designs of WP 3 – 7 complete

Works Package 1 & 2
(Modify Towers Hill Steel Reservoir & DN525 Pipeline Replacement (Part A))

18 December 2025 - Council announced a successful funding application for $8 million for the construction of WP 1 & 2 under the LGGSP 2024-28 funding program (see Media Release). (Local Government Grants and Subsidies Program – Department of Local Government, Water and Volunteers).

26 June 2026 - A contractor has been appointed and minor exploratory works will start taking place, including some potholing at the Towers Hill Reservoir site. These early activities help prepare the area for the major construction phases ahead.

2 July 2026 - The dilapidation survey and site surveys are complete. Planning for cut-in and shutdown works is underway, with major pipework orders placed. Development of construction methodologies, securing suppliers for key project materials is underway.

Works Package 3 & 7

(Network Extension and PRV’s, Low Level Reservoirs and BPS and WTP BPS, DN525 Pipeline Replacement (Part B), Decommissioning of Existing AC Main and Minor Network Upgrades & Replace Towers Hill Reservoir)

• Designs complete
• Cost estimates received
• All Federal, State and Local approvals granted
• These packages are shovel-ready but currently unfunded.

CONTACT DETAILS

For further information about the project please phone Council on 07 4761 5300 or mail@charterstowers.qld.gov.au

FUNDING ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Works Packages 1 & 2: Proudly funded by the Queensland Government’s Local Government Grants and Subsidies Program, and Council is in discussion with CLIF via QIC to formalise additional funding.