Ravenshoe and Millstream Water Quality Improvement Project progresses to final testing stage

Tablelands Regional Council is pleased to advise that the new Water Treatment Plant at Monument Street, Ravenshoe will commence the final phase of testing from Thursday, 9 July.

The first two stages of testing have been highly successful, and the new treatment plant has consistently produced high-quality drinking water at the required flow rates and volumes.

Throughout testing, water has been discharged into the environment as a precaution, while comprehensive laboratory testing has been undertaken. This ensured no unverified water entered the Monument Street Reservoir or the Ravenshoe water supply networks.

This final testing phase is an exciting milestone. It will assess the performance of the entire water supply system under normal operating conditions. This includes the Water Treatment Plant, Monument Street Reservoir, the Ravenshoe reticulation network, the pipeline to Millstream, the Millstream reservoirs and the Millstream reticulation network. Throughout this testing period, Council staff and the Contractor will also undertake cleaning and flushing of reservoirs and water mains to help optimise water quality across the network.

As part of the process, Council is required to provide extensive water quality sampling results to the Drinking Water Regulator and Queensland Health. In consultation with these agencies, a Boil Water Notice will be put into place throughout this testing phase as a precautionary public health measure while the final verification testing is completed.

Special information for Millstream residents: A Boil Water Notice is currently in place due to elevated turbidity in the Millstream River. The new treatment plant is expected to deliver a significant improvement in water quality for the community. However, the Boil Water Notice must remain in place until this testing phase has been successfully completed and all regulatory requirements have been satisfied.

Construction of the Ravenshoe and Millstream Water Quality Improvement Project is one of the largest and most complex projects delivered by Tablelands Regional Council (TRC), at a cost of around $18m. The project has been proudly funded through Queensland Government’s ‘Works for Queensland’ program, ‘Local Government Grants and Subsidies Program’, and ‘Building Our Regions Program’ in collaboration with Tablelands Regional Council.

The project delivers a high-capacity Water Treatment Facility in Ravenshoe, and almost 13 km of new pipeline connecting Millstream to the Ravenshoe water supply scheme. It also included upgrades to the Millstream Reservoir facilities.

When operating at full functionality, the facility is expected to have an impressive daily treatment capacity of 2.779 megalitres and will consistently provide compliant fresh drinking water to the Ravenshoe and Millstream communities, averting the need for future ‘Boil Water Notices’.

Council appreciates the patience and support shown by the Ravenshoe and Millstream communities throughout this important project. We look forward to completing the final testing phase and delivering a reliable, high-quality drinking water supply for Ravenshoe and Millstream communities.

As with any major infrastructure commissioning, testing is subject to change. If unexpected issues arise or additional testing is required. Council will provide further updates after completion of the testing.

You can keep informed about this and other TRC projects through the TRC Website: https://www.trc.qld.gov.au/our-council/projects/water.