Concerns that QLD housing developments will lead to water shortages

ABC NEWS (Australia)

There are growing concerns the race to build more homes to address the housing shortage will impact access to water resources. The problem is particularly acute in the gold coast hinterland, where residents want a moratorium on residential developments until a secure water supply is found.

Transcript

00:00 It's a popular tourist destination, but the boom in visitors is putting huge pressure

00:07 on this Gold Coast hinterland town.

00:09 Every year we get this concern from people when we get to the conditions where the water

00:15 supply reduces that they're frustrated, they believe they want to be able to have unrestricted

00:21 access to water.

00:22 Canungra is not connected to the South East Queensland water grid.

00:26 It sources its water from Canungra Creek, but as new housing developments pop up in

00:31 the region, locals fear it'll further strain their dwindling water supply.

00:36 The Scenic Rim Council has tried to restrict development in the past, but that move was

00:41 overturned in court.

00:43 The Planning and Environment Court decision confirmed that that's outside of our decision

00:48 authority.

00:49 Since August, flows in the creek have dropped because of a lack of rainfall.

00:53 If the creek runs dry, restrictions will be introduced and water will need to be trucked

00:57 in.

00:58 Residents like John Kelleher, who relies on the creek for his turfing business, want a

01:03 long term solution.

01:04 Everybody's concerned at this point because we just don't have a piece of black and white

01:09 ink that says this is the plan going forward so we can all plan by.

01:13 I personally would like to see us joined up to the water grid, the South East Queensland

01:17 water grid.

01:18 I don't believe connecting to the grid is the right solution.

01:21 I think they've got a fantastic local supply.

01:24 I think they need to look at both efficiency measures and demand measures and how they

01:29 can use water that falls locally more constructively.

01:34 Some residents in these new estates say they weren't told that the town wasn't connected

01:38 to the main water grid before building their homes.

01:42 And if they had known, then they would have installed bigger water tanks to prepare for

01:45 dry periods like this one.

01:48 An SEQ Water spokesperson says it's currently exploring long term water security options.

01:53 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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