Mount Morgan residents welcome new water pipeline after drought

Mount Morgan residents are celebrating the completion of a $88 million water pipeline that will provide a reliable water supply to the town. The $88 million project has been years in the making, advocated for by the community due to years of drought and water insecurity. 85-year-old resident Christina O Leary, who has lived in Mount Morgan for most of her life, remembers her father walking to a public well to fetch water during prolonged dry spells.

The town of Mount Morgan, 40 kilometers south-west of Rockhampton, traditionally sourced its water from the No 7 Dam and domestic rainwater tanks. Due to a lack of rain, the dam levels dropped to as low as 10% in 2021 and residents were placed on the maximum water restrictions level-6. Rockhampton Regional Council had to truck water into the town at a cost of $17,000 a day for three years.

The pipeline project, completed this week, will see the local dam transition to purely recreational use and promises to deliver a more reliable water supply. State member for Mirani Glen Kelly remarked that the new pipeline will not only support the town's industrial sector but also the healthcare system and local businesses. Mount Morgan, once a thriving gold mining town, experienced an exodus after the mine closed in 1990, but recent efforts have sparked hope for future employment prospects.

The town's social and economic livelihood is heavily dependent on the dam, with the art gallery relying on tourism and the dam being a major drawcard. While Mount Morgan residents welcomed the news, other regional towns continue to struggle with water restrictions due to drought and aging infrastructure. Other regional councils, such as Isaac Regional Council and the Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council, have also faced water infrastructure failures and have had to issue warnings and advisories.

Queensland Minister for Water Ann Leahy acknowledged the ongoing issue of water insecurity for regional communities and expressed the government's commitment to addressing the problem.