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ASSOCIATIONS qldwater

Responsible governance starts with transparency Queensland’s ageing water assets require billions of dollars in renewal investment. qldwater argues that transparent risk data and sustained funding will be essential to ensure infrastructure decisions reflect long-term public need. ACROSS QUEENSLAND, THE water sector is facing a growing and unavoidable reality. Much of the infrastructure that underpins safe, reliable water and wastewater services is reaching the end of its life. Recent research by the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) paints a stark picture. More than half of the state’s water and sewerage networks are already beyond their typical service life, with an average pipe age of 58 years. The cost of urgent renewals alone is estimated at more than $5 billion, with total replacement needs exceeding $45 billion. The outcomes are already being felt. In 2025, more than 7,700 water main breaks were recorded across the state, equating to a failure every 73 minutes. They hit regional and remote communities hardest, where systems are more vulnerable and resources are limited. While these risks intensify, critical pieces of statewide analysis remain out of public view. The Government’s Urban Water Risk Assessment, completed in 2023–24, considered risks across water service providers outside South East Queensland. The Queensland Treasury Corporation’s Funding and Affordability Project also examined sustainably funding future investment across the sector. Both reports were completed at significant cost. Yet neither has been released. This lack of transparency limits public accountability. Without access to the underlying

data, communities cannot fully understand their exposure to urban water risks. Decision makers cannot be held to account for whether funding is being directed to areas of greatest need. The Queensland Audit Office has highlighted that workforce and infrastructure constraints are already contributing to non compliance and water quality incidents. It concluded that better planning is essential to help councils address these pressures and continue to deliver safe drinking water to their communities. Smaller and regional providers face a compounding challenge. Limited revenue, shrinking populations, and rising construction and labour costs impact multiple projects across the service area. Ageing assets are driving up maintenance costs and increasing the likelihood of failure. This is a current and escalating risk to public health, liveability and economic resilience. Competing priorities in a constrained environment Questions are increasingly being asked about how public funding is prioritised. The Queensland Government’s $7.1 billion Games Venues Infrastructure Program, including plans for a new Brisbane stadium, represents one of the largest infrastructure investments in the state’s history. However, commentary surrounding the Brisbane 2032 program has highlighted a shift away from the International Olympic Committee’s

More must be done by the Queensland Government to increase transparency around water infrastructure spending. Photo by rweisswald/stock. adobe.com

“New Norm” principles which emphasise the reuse of existing venues and temporary infrastructure. This question of balancing investment in non-essential assets against the maintainence of essential services is particularly relevant against the backdrop of global instability. This includes supply chain disruptions linked to conflict in the Middle East and impacts on key shipping routes. The resultant conditions make long-term infrastructure planning more complex, increasing financial risks associated with major capital projects. These decisions are not abstract. They have real implications for rates, service reliability and longterm affordability. Water and wastewater infrastructure is not optional. It is fundamental to public health, environmental protection and economic activity. When these systems fail, the impacts are immediate and far-reaching. The LGAQ’s research highlights that without dedicated, long-term funding pathways for renewals, the gap between infrastructure needs and funding will continue to widen. Queensland’s water sector has a strong track record of delivering essential services under challenging conditions. But the scale of the current infrastructure challenge demands a more coordinated and transparent response. Publishing the findings would be an important first step. Ensuring that water infrastructure remains safe, reliable and affordable must be part of that commitment.