General News
9 January, 2026
Council approves its Greenmount Water Treatment Plant
Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) last month approved its own material change of use development application pertaining to the Greenmount Water Treatment Plant.
Once constructed, the plant will supply potable water for the townships of Greenmount, Nobby, Cambooya and Clifton, dubbed the ‘Four Communities’.
The plant is set to be built 13 Haldon Street, Greenmount, a 1.86 hectare vacant site owned by TRC.
Greenmount State School borders the site.
A planning report submitted as part of the application states that the proposed Water Treatment Plant (WTP) will comprise a conventional treatment plant with a capacity to treat three megalitres (three million litres) of raw water per day.
“The site is strategically located adjacent to the existing Haldon Street water reservoir to the north-east of the proposed development,” the report says.
“The Water Treatment Plant will be predominately located towards the Haldon Street frontage of the site, with exception to a raw water storage tank located at the rear of the site.
“The facility will include an administration/switchroom/wetlab building (administration building), dosing and storage facilities, and treatment plant components including holding tanks, raw water tank and an operating and emergency lagoon.
“The water treatment plant will be operated remotely for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with one operator visit daily during weekdays.”
Access will be provided via a new crossover to Haldon Street and four car parking spaces are proposed adjacent to the administration and switchroom/wetlab building.
Department of Education voices concerns
The plant’s proximity to Greenmount State School spurred the Department of Education to make a submission to TRC regarding the potential issues that may arise.
The Department’s concerns include:
• Chemical storage and safety - on-site storage and dosing of chemicals including chlorine, fluoride, and coagulants - any accidental release could present a safety risk or cause significant concern within the school community
• Acoustic impacts - a number of on-site activities will generate different levels of noise, including operation and deliveries, pumps with 24 hour per day operation, and frequent heavy traffic movements to be occurred during daytime in weekdays.
• Odour - Potential odour impacts are unknown.
The Department has requested comprehensive noise attenuation measures, safe chemical storage and emergency management control, appropriate buffers and/or separation zones and ongoing monitoring, maintenance and communication.
