Campaign for new water pipeline to Douglas Shire from Quaid’s Dam

Douglas Shire residents are making a concerted effort to have a say in the future of the area’s water supply and security, asking the State Government to help build a new pipeline from a large water resource.

A petition to both the state’s Natural Resources Department and Council is gaining signatures, for the proposed pipeline between Quaid’s Dam – also known as Lake Mitchell Dam in neighbouring Mareeba Shire – and Douglas Shire.

The huge dam is not currently used as a water resource, and is estimated by the State Government to hold at least 129,000 megalitres of potential supply.

Douglas Shire resident Kellie Lawler has started a Change.Org petition, saying she is “witnessing first-hand the dire state of our water supply,” and calling on the state government and Council to “prioritize an urgent and sustainable solution - a pipeline from Quaid’s dam.” 

Ms Lawler says in the petition that the water supply situation in Douglas Shire “is so severe that we are on the brink of a water crisis with the threat of water supplies being completely cut during the peak tourist season.”

She goes on to say that the proposal is not only about the short-term water supply situation, but also about future-proofing Douglas Shire “against further crises.”

“The proposed solution involves utilizing Quaid’s dam, which sits idle just 35km west of Port Douglas,” the petition says. 

“By implementing a gravity feed pipeline to the tanks at Craiglie and establishing a new purpose-built filtration plant, we can secure our future water supply and alleviate current issues such as silt troubles in existing filtration systems.”

Ms Lawler’s petition is in conjunction with a letter to politicians by Bryce Tozer, Manager of Cayman Villas Resort in Port Douglas, who says in the near future, Douglas Shire will need around 15 megalitres a day of water – and Quaid’s Dam is the solution.