NQ Water is working closely with Townsville and Thuringowa City Councils in drafting their new town plans as they apply to the 750 square kilometre Ross River Dam catchment.

The move has been prompted by the Boardís recent acceptance of the new Water Quality Strategy, said NQ Water Chairman Ian Hamilton.

"The strategy is the overarching plan to manage and preserve the catchment," Mr Hamilton said. "It will provide for greater security and reliability of water and will guard against the threat of contamination."

"NQ Water once controlled the catchment but it was placed in control of the councils when the act changed.

"The town plans are currently under review and we are looking for councilsí cooperation in incorporating certain land management practices into those plans."

The Water Quality Strategy addresses both land use and water based issues, said Mr Hamilton.

"Weíve completed a risk analysis of land uses currently permitted," he said. "The proposed Woodstock Industrial precinct is outside the catchment but there are major traffic routes running through the area which need to be considered."

"The water monitoring program is a critical review and the update of that is a priority. From that we hope to identify any ëhot spotsí that will be managed on a sub-catchment basis."

Supporting plans covering land use control, infrastructure corridors, material extraction, agistment and buffer zones, recreational use and water quality monitoring will be adopted as they are developed, Mr Hamilton said.

More information:
Media Liaison Robert Dark
Mobile: 0417 623 156

© 2004 NQ Water