Lower Fitzroy River Infrastructure DBC (Rookwood Weir)
The Central Queensland Regional Water Supply Strategy (CQRWSS), released in 2006, identified the Lower Fitzroy as the next main source of supply for the urban and industrial needs of the Rockhampton, Fitzroy and Livingstone council areas and the Gladstone Area Water Board (GAWB).
Rookwood Weir
Direct Client: Building Queensland
Services Primary : Business Care
Services Secondary : Peer Review
Sector: Water
Background
The Strategy also identified development of a new weir at Rookwood, or the raising of the existing Eden Bann Weir as the preferred infrastructure solution to provide high reliability water to meet the urban and industrial needs of the region.
The potential need and/or opportunity for augmented water storage in the Fitzroy Basin and Gladstone Region has been the subject of numerous regional and state government reports over decades. The Lower Fitzroy River Infrastructure Project detailed business case was prepared by Building Queensland, on behalf of the Proponents, GAWB and Sunwater.
Aalto’s Role
Aalto was engaged by Building Queensland to assist in the development of a detailed business case. Aalto oversaw the drafting and compilation of the business case, as well as reviewing the technical outputs from other financial, commercial, economic and social impact consultants.
The business case focused on addressing risks to the project that could lead to significant funding gaps. To provide the client and funding authorities an analysis of the gap required to be addressed, an economic ‘hurdle’ approach was adopted (i.e. what would it take to ensure the benefits for the people of Queensland exceed the costs from investment in Rookwood Weir).
Outcomes and Insights
A comprehensive business case was provided to Building Queensland and Sunwater to support both State and Federal Government funding for this asset. It was produced by Aalto on time and within the original budget.
The project found that investment the Rookwood Weir should proceed, if several conditions could be met to help ameliorate concerns associated with forecast agricultural water demand. To mitigate the demand risks, the LFRIP required sufficient commitments (or signed memorandums of understanding) from agricultural customers to allow the project to proceed with an acceptable level of risk to the Proponents and ultimately the State.
Aalto, working alongside other technical specialists, provided the Queensland Government and with a pathway for the project to proceed.
Rookwood Weir welcomed its first inflows in early December 2023.