The proposed Port Douglas Water Reservoir became a Federal election issue yesterday after a $6.7 million commitment was made in Port Douglas.

Minister for Regional Development Fiona Nash, and the Member for Leichhardt, Warren Entsch, said a re-elected Turnbull Government will invest the said funds to deliver the critical water infrastructure the people of Port Douglas and Craiglie deserve.

The project, which will help upgrade the water supply infrastructure for Port Douglas and Craiglie, includes the design and construction of a 20ml reservoir, including 2.5 kilometres of dedicated outlet mains and improved sealed road access.

The project will create over 30 jobs during the 18-month construction period, with 40 full-time new jobs created per year as a result of this worthy investment.

Construction of the new $14.4 million reservoir would begin in the coming months if the funding is secured, offering water security to Port Douglas residents and businesses for future generations.

The news was welcomed by Douglas Shire Mayor Julia Leu and the Douglas Chamber of Commerce.

Ms Leu said Council was extremely appreciative of both the Federal Government and the State Government, which has already contributed $5 million to the water reservoir project.

“The new 20-megalitre reservoir is critical infrastructure to meet future water supply demands for Port Douglas and surrounding areas and is an integral part of Council’s water security plan for the Port Douglas area,” Ms Leu said.

“Council’s ability to plan for continued growth in Port Douglas is reliant on the completion of the reservoir and I’d like to thank the Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch and the Federal Government for understanding the importance of this critical infrastructure project.

“This support from the Federal and State Governments is also recognition for the vital role Port Douglas plays in promoting tourism to domestic and international audiences to ensure we have the capacity to provide essential services now and well into the future.”

The Douglas Chamber of Commerce said this will be central to reducing the demand on our water supply. 

“As Port Douglas continues to grow, attracting more permanent residents and tourists alike, this places more of a demand on our water supply,” said chamber president Helen De Ross. 

“The Council has worked very hard on this project after recognising our infrastructure needs to be increased to accommodate the region’s growth.  

“We welcome support in this area and look forward to Council and the Federal Government providing stronger infrastructure for our community,” she said.

Mr Entsch welcomed the announcement and underlined the importance of the project to the local community.

“This has been identified as the number one infrastructure priority for Douglas Shire Council, and I’ve been working closely with Mayor Julia Leu on ways to support the project,” Mr Entsch said.

“Detailed design work and planning has already been completed and Council has acquired the site, which I visited a couple of weeks ago with Mayor Leu and Council’s General Manager of Operations, Paul Hoye.

“There’s no doubt that the new reservoir will be a game-changer for us, because it will remove the current constraints on development and investment in Port Douglas.  

“It will underpin the renewal of existing tourism infrastructure, encourage new tourism development, and secure a reliable water supply for residential and commercial development at Craiglie,” said Entsch.