Three new water filling stations enable 24/7 access to bulk drinking water in Goondiwindi region

New water filling stations located in Goondiwindi, Inglewood and Texas will mean 24/7 access to affordable bulk drinking water for visitors and rural residents in the Goondiwindi region.

Goondiwindi Regional Council has installed the three new stations in convenient locations to replace the previous manually operated standpipes. When the region is drought-declared, eligible rural residents will be able to access the water at the same rate as town residents pay for their reticulated supply. Visitors will pay a slightly higher fee per kilolitre.

Cr Rick Kearney, who holds Council’s portfolio for water services, said the stations would both streamline access to clean drinking water for rural residents and provide additional revenue to Council from visitors.

“The region has had some wonderful rain recently and we’re all set for the visitor season ahead,” Cr Kearney said. “We’ve already seen many campers and caravanners flock to popular sites like Coolmunda Dam and the Dumaresq River Rest area, and the availability of easily-accessible drinking water will further support the region’s tourism.

“This is giving visitors yet another reason to stop, spend some money in town and maybe stay another night, while also creating an additional revenue stream for Council.”

All three stations are now live and ready for visitors to purchase water by credit card at a minimum charge of $5 per transaction. The stations can facilitate all sizes of vehicles, from small cars to trucks, caravans and motorhomes.

The prepaid card system to enable a residential rate for rural residents is expected to be rolled out within a matter of weeks. Rural residents will still need to complete an application form for bulk water purchase as normal, and the amount of bulk water available for purchase will be subject to the water consumption target under any relevant water restriction levels at the time of application.

Mayor of the Goondiwindi region the Honourable Cr Lawrence Springborg AM said the water stations were part of Council’s commitment to ensuring the fair and affordable supply of domestic water for rural residents, especially during dry times.

“The Goondiwindi region has been drought-declared for six years, so we know how precious clean drinking water is,” the Mayor said. “Ensuring that rural residents and their families can access fresh drinking water when needed is therefore especially important to this Council.

“While we have been fortunate to enjoy some solid rain recently, this investment will better prepare the region for future dry times. Council’s core business will always be the provision of services to residents – whether urban or regional – so it’s important that access to drinking water is fair and affordable.”

The water is not intended for residents on a town supply, or to be used to water gardens or livestock. The priority of the service is for rural domestic customers who don’t have access to fresh clean drinking water in times when the region is drought-declared.

While the water is potable, Council cannot guarantee the drinking water quality once it is collected. Council encourages all users to engage an accredited drinking water carrier to transport the water. For more information, visit: www.grc.qld.gov.au/residents/water-sewerage-plumbing/water-services