Townsville City Council will replace more than 4.5km of pipes beneath Charters Towers Road and Ross River Road as part of a $5.2 million project aimed at ensuring the ongoing reliability of the city’s water network.
Work on the project has begun with construction expected to be complete by mid-September.
Mayor Jenny Hill said the upgrades were crucial for providing water services to residents and businesses.
“In the last budget, Council committed $23.5 million for water main renewals to allow for the replacement of critical pipelines across the city,” Cr Hill said.
“These upgrades along this stretch of Charters Towers and Ross River Road will improve service reliability for residents and businesses and ensure that the city’s water infrastructure will last long into the future.
“Local business GNM Group will carry out the works, with the project expected to support up to 30 local jobs.”
Townsville Water and Waste Committee chairperson Russ Cook said the mains being replaced include some unlined pipes and other mains that have been under the ground for around 50 years.
“Townsville has an extensive underground water infrastructure network with mains that are coming to an age where replacement is necessary to prevent future failures and leaks,” Cr Cook said.
“This project along Charters Towers and Ross River Road will replace 4.5km of pipes that are 50 years old, including some pipes that aren’t operating at their optimal level.
“These new pipes will secure the water supply in the area for a further 80 years.
“While GNM complete this project, there will be road closures along parts of Charters Towers Road, and we urge motorists and pedestrians to follow the directions of the traffic controllers and signage.
“Council will continue to maintain access to all businesses and homes in the area.
“While we work hard to mitigate impacts, projects like this can cause some temporary inconvenience. Council thanks the community for their patience while we undertake the work.”