Haughton Pipeline Stage 2 construction begins, securing Townsville's water supply to 2060Updated

Construction has officially commenced on the Haughton Pipeline Stage 2, a $240 million water security infrastructure project that will connect the Burdekin River to Townsville's water supply system and reduce the city's dependence on the Ross River Dam — a water source that has experienced critical low levels during recent drought periods.

The Stage 2 pipeline extends the 38-kilometre Stage 1 pipeline completed in 2019, adding a parallel pipeline to double the conveyance capacity from the Burdekin to the Mount Garnet Water Treatment Plant. When complete, the system will provide Townsville with access to 90,000 megalitres per year from the Burdekin — enough to supply the city for more than 18 months at current consumption rates, even in the event of zero rainfall.

Water minister Glenn Butcher described the pipeline as the most important piece of infrastructure built for Townsville in a generation. "Townsville came perilously close to running out of water in 2019. This project means that can never happen again," he said. The Stage 1 pipeline provided critical water during that near-crisis and prevented water restrictions that had been weeks away when flows finally commenced.

Construction will employ approximately 400 workers over its 30-month build period, with a preference for North Queensland and Indigenous workforce participation embedded in the project's tender requirements. Townsville City Council is contributing $60 million to the project, with the Queensland government providing the balance.

The pipeline is expected to be fully operational in 2027, providing a 40-year water security horizon for a city projected to grow by 80,000 residents over that period.

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