Sunwater chair labels costly dam rebuild 'grossly disproportionate'

Sunwater chair Jeff Seeney has written to the Queensland government recommending against rebuilding the troubled Paradise Dam. (ABC News: Johanna Marie) The chair of Sunwater, regional Queensland's biggest water provider, has written to the government advising against rebuilding Paradise Dam. In 2024 the Crisafulli government pledged to rebuild the troubled dam at a cost of more than $4.4 billion. Mr Crisafulli said no decision will be made until the release of a detailed business case by Sunwater in the coming weeks. Link copiedShareShare articleThe board of Queensland's largest regional water provider has written to the Crisafulli government advising it to dump plans to rebuild the troubled Paradise Dam. In a letter addressed to Water Minister Ann Leahy and seen by the ABC, Sunwater chair Jeff Seeney said the board had unanimously agreed the $4.4bn project was "grossly disproportionate" and that the proposal should be "no further considered". The cost to rebuild the Paradise Dam wall downstream has blown out to more than $4bn. (ABC Wide Bay: Johanna Marie) Mr Seeney said the previous government's "pre-emptive announcement" to rebuild Paradise Dam was unsupported by a "range of technical and financial information" that would be considered essential for such a decision. "Further examination of the previous Governments [sic] decision indicates it lacks any rigour or professional credibility," Mr Seeney wrote. "It has since been established that Sunwater tasked consultants to provide an evidence base for the announcement after it was made." Mr Seeney said a coming business case on the project would provide a "very large amount" of supporting information backing the board's decision. Paradise Dam was lowered between 2019 and 2021 due to safety concerns about its construction. (Supplied: Sunwater) Troubles first emerged in 2013 when severe flooding in the Bundaberg region caused major damage to the 300,000 megalitre dam, carving out a 15-metre cavity at the base of the wall . The then Labor government and federal government committed $1.2bn to restoring the damage and safety work to lower the dam wall by 5.8 metres began in 2020. But world-first testing of the dam in 2023 revealed degradation of the concrete had compromised the wall to the point that Sunwater determined no amount of work could fix it. Damage to the wall of Paradise Dam, near Bundaberg, from flooding in 2013. (Supplied: Sunwater) The Miles government then committed to building an entirely new wall downstream. The full cost of that rebuild was revealed in 2024 to have blown out to at least $4.4 billion, with further cost increases not ruled out. Despite that, the Crisafulli government last year directed Sunwater to begin works on the rebuild, starting with a geotechnical investigation of the site. A detailed business case for the rebuild was expected to be handed to the government this month. Queensland premier David Crisafulli said no decision on the future of Paradise Dam would be made until after the business case is handed down. (ABC News: Lucas Hill) Premier David Crisafulli said any decision around the future of the project before the business case was released would be "premature". "With respect to Sunwater, the business case isn't done," Mr Crisafulli said. "Why anyone could be commenting about the benefit of doing it at this stage, that is far too premature." Bundaberg mayor Helen Blackburn wanted to see the government follow through on its pledge to rebuild the dam. Bundaberg Mayor Helen Blackburn has called on the Crisafulli government to keep its promise to rebuild the dam. (ABC Wide Bay: James Taylor) "We know that we are sort of the agricultural foodbowl for the whole of the country and we need to make sure we have that water security in order to be able to feed everyone," Cr Blackburn said. "If we were to have a drought over the next seven years, where's the water coming from? "As a drought-ridden country we need to have that water security and we will not have it unless we have the wall rebuilt or reinstated,." Paradise Dam's capacity was reduced from 300,000 megalitres to 170,000 after the dam wall was reduced in height. The significantly reduced capacity prompted a class action from Bundaberg farmers claiming damages for losses associated with water insecurity. But in its letter to the minister, Sunwater said it has no concerns about meeting "reasonably projected future water demand" at the dam's reduced capacity "well past 2065". "There is currently 90,000 mgl of water allocation entitlement available for sale from the dam which can be made available immediately for any emergent demand and to provide increased opportunities for water users and maximum economic benefit to the State." Wide Bay farmer Craig Van Rooyen said the Sunwater board's decision was "absolutely appalling". "The Bundaberg region is 55,000 hectares of irrigated land which can, at times, produce up to 25% of all the fruit and

Sunwater chair labels costly dam rebuild 'grossly disproportionate'

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