Delivery
What’s Happened So Far
JUNE 2028
Anticipated completion of Stage 3 business case and market readiness report, with a view to immediate commencement of Stage 4 works to realise the Water for Warrill vision.
JANUARY 2027 - JUNE 2028
Jointly develop with Seqwater detailed engineering plans, business case and regulatory approvals for a new 12,000ML off-stream water storage in the Warrill Valley Water Supply Scheme for construction during Stage 4.
JANUARY 2027 - MARCH 2028
Identify participating farms, develop engineering plans and secure regulatory approvals for grower construction of 8,000ML of new on-farm water storage.
DECEMBER 2026
Deliver a comprehensive briefing to the Queensland Government outlining a pathway for targeted amendment of the Moreton Water Plan to enhance productivity.
AUGUST 2026
Opening of a local Water for Warrill office to drive Stage 3 implementation.
July 2026
Qld Government announces a $3.4 million grant to progress Water for Warrill to Stage 3, which will develop a structured business case and implementation plan for targeted infrastructure upgrades, and assess community, environmental and economic outcomes.
June 2026
Stage 2 Report submitted to the Qld Government providing the first integrated assessment of whether targeted changes to water planning settings, water-sharing arrangements and supporting infrastructure concepts can materially improve water reliability, flexibility, productivity and drought resilience within the Warrill Valley Water Supply Scheme (WVWSS).
February 2026
Implementation of the Stage 1 recommendations commences in collaboration with Seqwater.
December 2025
The Stage 1 Report submitted to the Qld Government with early intervention recommendations to improve the legislative and planning frameworks for more efficient water utilisation in the short term.
July 2025
A new funding agreement signed with the Qld Department of Local Government, Water and Volunteers to progress a staged investigation into the feasibility and design of the Water for Warrill concept.
2024
Qld Government engaged a consultant to meet with stakeholders and review all existing material to prepare a report outlining Water Options for Agricultural Manufacturing & Processing in the Warrill.
2022
Application to National Water Grid Fund submitted by the Qld Government on behalf of Water for Warrill.
2021
2020
With support from Scenic Rim Regional Council, a Water for Warrill Irrigation Project initial feasibility report and demand assessment was conducted by consultants Jacobs Engineering Group.
Stage 2 Outcomes
A Smarter Way to Capture Water:
The Warrill Valley Storage Opportunity
The Stage 2 investigations identified a clear opportunity: capturing floodwater and storing it locally could deliver a step change in water reliability, productivity and economic growth for the Warrill Valley.
At the centre of this opportunity is a new off-stream storage, designed to capture high-flow events and make water available when it is needed most.
Turning Floodwater into Productive Water
The Stage 2 Report modelling shows that a 12,000 ML off-stream storage integrated into the Warrill Valley Water Supply Scheme could:
unlock ~$30M in private investment in on-farm infrastructure
DELIVER A 15-20% increase in irrigation reliability
capture floodwater AND help to protect ipswich
Rather than relying on new dams in sensitive locations, the focus is on capturing water that is already flowing through the system — and putting it to work for growers and the local economy.
This is about taking water we currently lose during flood events and turning it into productivity, jobs and long-term growth for the valley.
A Game-Changer for Growers
For irrigators, reliability is everything.
The proposed storage would:
- Provide more consistent water supply across seasons
- Reduce exposure to dry-year risk
- Enable investment in higher-value cropping systems
- Support expansion of existing farm enterprises
Importantly, the modelling shows this can be achieved without reducing existing water reliability for other farmers in the valley or affecting environmental flows.
Part of an Integrated Water System
The storage is not a stand-alone solution.
It forms part of a broader, integrated water system approach that combines:
- Flood harvesting
- Existing scheme water
- Private on-farm storages (~8,000 ML potential)
- Future opportunities such as recycled water
This portfolio approach ensures water can be supplied at different price points and reliability levels, supporting a wide range of agricultural and industrial uses.
Stage 2 looked to:
Identify where current planning settings may be constraining system performance
Test whether targeted reforms may improve outcomes
Identify areas requiring further technical refinement
Establish whether sufficient merit exists to justify progression to a future business case stage
The investigations indicate that a coordinated package of modest planning and operational reforms may deliver material improvements in:
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- water reliability;
- system flexibility;
- drought resilience;
- economic productivity;
- flood mitigation outcomes; and
- utilisation of existing water resources.
The Stage 2 work also reinforces the importance of adopting a portfolio approach to water management, combining existing surface water supplies with flood harvesting, recycled water, groundwater and operational flexibility mechanisms.
The findings provide a strong platform for future engagement with Government regarding:
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- the replacement Moreton Water Plan;
- future infrastructure investigations;
- strategic water reserves;
- operational reforms; and
- future business case funding pathways.
Stronger, More Productive Farms
The Stage 2 Study demonstrates that improving water reliability is the single biggest lever to lift on-farm productivity.
A “portfolio approach” — combining surface water, flood harvesting, groundwater and recycled water — allows growers to:
Maintain production in dry years
Shift into higher-value horticulture
Improve output per megalitre of water
This approach enables structural change in agriculture, with farms moving from lower-value production into high-value crops such as vegetables and horticulture.
The result is:
Higher farm incomes
More efficient water use
Greater resilience to drought and climate variability
Reliability matters just as much as volume. When growers can rely on water, they invest, diversify, and produce more value from every drop.