General News
21 May, 2025
Progress on Clifton’s new water supply
New documents released by Toowoomba Regional Council have revealed more details on how the Greenmount Water Treatment Plant will look and how it will function.
Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) has submitted a material change of use development application to itself in anticipation of the plant’s construction, expected to start this year and be completed by early 2027.
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 at 13 Haldon Street, Greenmount, a 1.86 hectare vacant site owned by TRC.
Greenmount State School borders this site to the west.
A planning report submitted as part of the application states 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.”
In total, the development will cover about 13 per cent of the entire site.
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.
The planning report states that a Traffic Impact Assessment is currently being prepared for the proposed development and will be lodged with Council on completion.
“Following completion of the treatment process, the treated water will be pumped to the adjacent Haldon Street reservoir before being gravity fed to the Cambooya, Greenmount, Nobby and Clifton communities,” the report says.
“It is noted that the existing Haldon Street reservoir has sufficient existing capacity to service these communities.”
It is has yet been decided if fluoridation will be conducted at the plant.
The Queensland Government is providing $15 million over four years for the Four Communities Water Supply Project.
Also submitted as part of the application is the Greenmount Water Treatment Plant Preferred Option Report.
This report notes the plant could cause odour issues for those attending Greenmount State School as the predominant wind direction in the region is east to south easterly.
“Consideration needs to be made relating to fumes generated from chemicals to be used for the WTP and any risk of any hazardous gas,” the report says.
This report also says the slope on the site presents a strong opportunity to take advantage of gravitational flows and rely less heavily on pumps throughout the treatment train.
An outline of the current water supply for the four towns is given in the Greenmount Water Treatment Plant Preferred Option Report.
Clifton - It is currently supplied by five bores including:
Two existing bores located within the township. The bore supply is pumped to an existing ground level water tank from which the bore water is pumped into the township reticulation system.
A recently constructed new bore, which suffers from high salinity, which supplies the township via a new (2022) RO treatment plant and new ground level water tank.
TRC operations have indicated that the existing bores system provides sustained water supply, however, regular complaints about bore hardness are received.
Nobby - It is currently supplied by two bores located within the township.
The bore supply is pumped up to an existing elevated water tank from which the bore water is reticulated to the township.
TRC operations have indicated that the existing bores provide a consistent, reliable source of water.
Greenmount - It is currently supplied by a single bore which is located adjacent to the proposed Greenmount WTP location.
The bore supply is pumped up to an existing water supply reservoir from which the bore water is reticulated to the township of Greenmount.
TRC operations have indicated that the existing bores system provides sustained water supply, however, regular complaints about bore hardness are received.
Cambooya - It is currently supplied by a single bore.
The bore water is reticulated to the township.
TRC operations have indicated that the existing bore provides a poor quality, unreliable source of water.
Will it be noisy?
According to the planning report, those in nearby properties, including Greenmount State School, should not have too much to worry about regarding noise coming from the plant.
“The Water Treatment Plant is not expected to result in significant noise impacts,” the planning report says.
“The mechanical dewatering process, air blowers and a range of pumps are the only processes with the potential to produce noise impacts on sensitive receivers.
“It is noted that the mechanical dewatering process will be limited to approximately 1-3 hours of operation per day with exception to significant rain events which may mean the equipment operates for more extended times during the day.
“This process will occur only when the plant operator is in attendance, and is not intended to occur at night or on weekends.”
