LETTER TO ED: Extreme vision from new Council required as Quaids Dam remains perfect solution to Douglas Shire water woes

WATER MATTERS

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A Newsport reader has again urged Council, Government to consider a regular water source from Quaids Dam into the Douglas Shire using the pictured pipeline, or a newly built one. picture: Supplied

Dear Editor,

In support of Bryce Tozer and his commitment regarding the future of the Douglas Shire it is time to have a united voice in this Shire. 

Too often we see the opportunity for progress, debated, with little or no unity resulting in inaction, procrastination and a vision sneered at because of, scepticism, indecision, red herrings, and plane apathy often causing even the best plans and opportunities to fail.

The Douglas Shire is in dire straits with the sugar cane industry on the verge of collapse, Mossman mill closed, the flow on effects to employment and other businesses.

The Tourism industry struggling and lack of tourism confidence. The Mossman townships flooding and slow recovery, the Daintree area and everyone north of the Daintree ferry struggling to overcome the massive landslides and failing economy.

The damage to the roads and water infrastructure throughout the Shire and the ongoing water filtration system problems in what is as Bryce stated the “jewel in the crown of Far North Queensland”.

All of Douglas Shire needs to unite to solve these issues, not be distracted by lots of short-term ideas that in the long term accomplish little to gain a long term benefit and fulfil the ultimate needs of this Shire. 

More inlets in the Rex creek won’t solve the turbidity issues, settling tanks won’t fix the lack of water during a dry season, desalination on the scale required is expensive to set up and very expensive to run and their waste is an environmental hazard with high concentrations of minerals and salt to be discharged.

High flow aquifers are detrimental to the environment, they have been a source of a quick water fix in many countries around the world and many are experiencing extreme stress as water tables are drained, salt and minerals start to increase as they siphon from the coast and eventually need desalination to keep working.

Yet we have a pristine unused dam sitting on the other side of Mt Molloy.

With a bit of vision there is enough in that water in that dam to supply the entire Shire with all its water needs for the future and thus allowing the Rex creek inflow to be shut down and recover naturally, eventually providing a back up supply to the pipeline.

With a bit of vision we can plan a larger pipeline to provide irrigation water along the coastal strip of the Shire to allow new agriculture to be established as farmers will always struggle with either to much water or not enough during a season and consistency of water allocation is a game changer.

With a bit of vision, a hydro scheme could be installed into the bottom of the 400 metre drop from the tablelands to provide clean energy to the Shire.

The pipeline would be laid underground not effecting the visual or physical appearance of the route that the pipeline takes with any works overseen to make sure there is minimum environmental impact and restoration.

A new state of the art filtration and treatment plant built to provide the needs of the Shire. With excess water bypassing the potable water system into a secondary system laid along the coast over the coming years, for the irrigation needs of the future agriculture.

This scheme will provide jobs for those that desperately need it in this Shire, not just in the construction phase but in all the added long-term benefits. Just as the visionaries of years past changed the fortunes of the country and their local areas with the Murrumbidgee irrigation Scheme, or the Tinaroo dam irrigation scheme provided a future for the farming diversity in those regions. 

All our newly elected Councillors and Mayor campaigned on the issue of water security now let them show themselves to be visionaries and leaders, not divisive and procrastinators as has happened in years past.

We need a vision for the Douglas Shire, a loud voice for the future of the Douglas shire, and above all a united voice for the future of the Douglas Shire. 

We need a pipeline from Quaids dam. Then and only then, a vision for the many other needs of this Shire. 

Regards,

Trevor Frizelle

  • A reminder the views and opinions expressed in this piece are those of the author and author only and do not reflect those of the editor or Newsport staff.

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