Paradise Dam future water demand study

The Paradise Dam Improvement Project will ensure the dam’s long-term viability by:
•    increasing its resilience to extreme weather events
•    bringing it in line with modern engineering design standards
•    ensuring it meets the safety requirements set out in the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008 (Qld) and other state and national dam safety guidelines.

Earlier stages of the Paradise Dam Improvement Project included flood repair works carried out in 2013 and further improvement works completed in mid-2017. The next stage of the Paradise Dam Improvement Project will follow the Paradise Dam Essential Works. 

Building Queensland was engaged by the State Government to prepare an options assessment for Paradise Dam. This report has recommended that the following further information be gathered in conjunction with implementing the Paradise Dam Essential Works:
•    geotechnical assessment of the dam foundations and development of a 3D geological model (currently underway)
•    further sampling and testing of the primary spillway’s roller compacted concrete (currently underway)
•    an anchoring trial to confirm existing dam foundation capacity (currently underway)
•    the refinement of option designs and cost ranges using this updated information.

In partnership, Building Queensland and Sunwater will ensure this information is collected as a matter of priority, allowing government to determine the best long-term option for Paradise Dam. This process will also include information on current and future water demand, the costs of improvements and other relevant information to inform a detailed business case (DBC) which is anticipated to be completed in late 2021.

Sunwater (as the proponent) is working closely with Building Queensland who is leading the detailed business case for the Paradise Dam Improvement project.

Building Queensland provides the Queensland Government with independent, expert advice and is required to lead the preparation of business cases for infrastructure projects of $100 million or more in accordance with Section 14 of the Building Queensland Act 2015. The detailed business case will align with Building Queensland’s Business Case Development Framework. The framework ensures a consistent and rigorous approach to proposal development and provides an objective, holistic cost/benefit assessment of development options and, based on this analysis presents a recommendation for the long-term dam improvement to the Queensland Government.

NCEconomics has been engaged by Building Queensland to undertake an assessment of future water demand and a broader economic assessment for the detailed business case. This is a critical task underpinning the Building Queensland process to provide recommendations to the Queensland Government on the long-term community needs over the next 30 years. 

It will assess how much water is needed, from which customer segments and when, and to help inform the options being assessed by Building Queensland; such as the height of the dam wall and/or other potential improvements to the existing water supply scheme.

We encourage current and potential water users to have their say via the survey to ensure your current water use and future intentions are captured. This is particularly important for those who are looking at expanding or changing operations.

The survey will ask participants to identify their location within the services irrigation area, current and future potential crops/products, how much water they are using now and how much they think they might need in future. The survey will also test how demand might change under different pricing assumptions.

The survey will take approximately 20-30 minutes to complete.

All data collected will remain commercial in confidence. The study will only be reporting on aggregate estimates and your answers to questions will not be shared with any third party. However, if you are interested in purchasing water in the near future, you may nominate for our team to pass on your contact details to Sunwater

Not everyone feels comfortable doing an online survey. Therefore, paper-based copies will be posted out to relevant land holders by Bundaberg Regional Council and will also be available from the Bundaberg Fruit and Vegetable Growers office and Canegrowers offices in Bundaberg and Childers.

You can also download a copy of the survey here [link coming soon].