There will be close to $50 million invested in water and sewer infrastructure as part of the 2026–27 Capital Works Program, delivering major upgrades that strengthen the shire’s long‑term water security across the shire and improve the reliability of essential services.
This year’s budget includes the commencement of the $47.5 million water and sewer program, with $32 million allocated in 2026–27 to priority projects across the network. Many of these projects will continue through to 2027–28, reflecting the scale and complexity of the work.
These projects will be jointly funded by Australian and Queensland governments, and Douglas Shire Council through the Works for Queensland Program and the jointly funded Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
DRFA projects include:
- Major water main replacements — $24.9 million total (including $10 million in the 2026/27 Budget)
- Daintree Village Water Supply Contingency Bore — $570,000
QRA and W4Q-funding projects include:
- Cooya Beach Reservoir Upgrade — connecting and commissioning an additional 3.6ML of treated water into the network (funded by $1.84 million from the QRA and $1.2 million from W4Q)
Douglas Shire Mayor Lisa Scomazzon said water security and resilience remained one of the highest priorities in this year’s budget.
“Water security is one of the most important responsibilities we have as a Council,” Mayor Scomazzon said.
“This year’s investment makes a strong and responsible commitment to the essential services our community depends on.”
She said the combined investment from Council and the Queensland Government demonstrated a shared commitment to strengthening the shire’s water future.
