Maryborough’s future water supply secure

The Chief Executive Officer, Mr Neil Brennan, has made a statement in response to claims that Central Highlands Water has failed to investigate the Stoney Creek bore (also known locally as Adam’s Bore) located near the Evansford Reservoir and secure Maryborough’s future water supply.

Mr Brennan said that the Stoney Creek groundwater bore was investigated by Central Highlands Water in early 2007 as a supplementary source of water for the Maryborough water supply but was not considered further due to concerns around the extremely high salt levels in the bore.

“Our tests indicate that the salt levels in the Stoney Creek bore are about 2,000 ppm which is double than what would normally be considered acceptable for an urban drinking water supply,” said Mr Brennan.

“The water from the Stoney Creek Bore is simply unacceptable for urban water use without expensive desalination treatment which would put an added cost burden on Maryborough residents and the business community,” he said.

Mr Brennan said that Central Highlands Water had been investigating several other sources of water which showed greater potential than the Stoney Creek bore and said that an announcement regarding these sources would be made in several weeks time when data was finalised from current investigations.