Dam holds up plant decision
POSSIBLE locations for future south-east Queensland desalination plants will not be revealed until the final decision is made on the proposed Traveston dam.
Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett is due to make a decision on whether the dam will go ahead on November 18.
If the plan is not approved the government will build desalination plants to cope with expected future water shortages in south-east Queensland.
A number of possible locations have been identified, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said, but she would not discuss them until the government was sure of its plans.
“We need to know whether the Traveston Crossing Dam will be going ahead to know how many desalination plants we need and where and when we will be putting them in place,” Ms Bligh said.
“I think those communities who may be affected by new desalination plants are entitled to some accuracy and certainty and we want to be able to tell them exactly when those desalination plants will have to come on line.
“We can’t do that until we know yes or no on the Traveston Crossing Dam.”
Possible locations for the plants include Bribie Island, off Brisbane, and Marcoola, on the Sunshine Coast.
