Yelarbon’s new reservoir more than doubles town’s drinking water supply

Yelarbon residents will benefit from better quality drinking water and improved town water pressure from next Monday [24 May].

Goondiwindi Regional Council has constructed a new concrete reservoir that will more than double the town’s supply of drinking water from 254 kilolitres to 544 kilolitres. It has also installed a new booster pump system at the water treatment plant that will assure standardised water quality and significantly improve the town’s water pressure, including its firefighting capability.

Council successfully obtained a grant of $738,000 from the Queensland Government’s Local Government Grants and Subsidies Program (LGGSP) that has been divided between the Yelarbon project and upgrades to the Talwood reservoir.

Councillor Rick Kearney holds Council’s portfolio for water services and said the increased storage capacity at the town’s water treatment plant will ensure sufficient residential supply during dry periods.

“The previous high water tower in Yelarbon was struggling to meet the requirements of the town’s water supply,” Cr Kearney said. “The new 400 kL reservoir will more than double the available supply and greatly reduce the risk of disruption during periods of high demand or prolonged drought.”

The new ground-level reservoir is situated near the previous water tower in Burrel Street. Council has also installed an accompanying booster pump system to improve water pressure and flow rates at connected properties.

The booster pump will also improve the town’s pressure and flow rate to meet fire-flow compliance throughout the town area.

The work began in October, with the final stages now under way. Residents can expect higher water pressures and flow rates from Monday and should monitor their properties for water leaks in the following days and weeks.

The Goondiwindi Region has been drought-declared since 2014. The works at Yelarbon are part of Council’s commitment to improving water security across the region, and complement the construction of a new bore in Yelarbon in September 2019 to address immediate water supply risks and provide a long-term solution for the town.

Additional water security projects across the region include the installation of two new Great Artesian Basin bores in Goondiwindi, the replacement of an existing bore in Texas, the installation of an additional pump and increased water storage capacity in Toobeah, and increased water storage capacities in Talwood.

“Council has invested more than $6.5 million over the past two years to improve the region’s water security infrastructure and better prepare the region for current and future times of drought,” Cr Kearney said.

“External funding has been an essential part of that investment, with programs like the LGGSP providing opportunity for vital infrastructure projects that will have a lasting impact on our region’s water supply and long-term security,” he said.

“In this case, it means the capacity, reliability and quality of drinking water for Yelarbon residents will be greatly improved both now and into the future.”