Projects

Water fluoridation

In February 2008 Premier Anna Bligh announced a program of works to fluoridate Queensland's water supplies between 2008 and 2012.

The Department of Infrastructure and Planning is the lead agency for the Queensland Water Fluoridation Project, providing strategic management and ensuring the delivery of infrastructure in relation to the fluoridation plants.

Timetable

The timeframes for construction and commissioning of fluoridation infrastructure in regional Queensland.

YearConstruction and commission
2009
  • South East Queensland minor water treatment plants
  • Gold Coast Desalination Project
  • indigenous communities
  • commencement of
    • Cairns
    • Gladstone
    • Mackay
    • Rockhampton
    • Toowoomba
2010
  • Completion of
    • Cairns
    • Gladstone
    • Mackay
    • Rockhampton
    • Fraser Coast
    • Gympie
    • South Burnett
    • Southern Downs
  • continue Toowoomba
2011
  • Blackall-Tambo
  • Central Highlands
  • Dalby
  • Goondiwindi
  • Hinchinbrook
  • Longreach
  • Mount Isa
  • Murweh
  • North Burnett
  • Rio Tinto (Weipa)
  • Tablelands and Whitsunday
2012
  • Balonne
  • Banana
  • Barcaldine
  • Bundaberg
  • Burdekin
  • Cassowary
  • Carpentaria
  • Charters Towers
  • Cloncurry
  • Cook
  • Flinders
  • Isaac
  • Paroo
  • Roma
  • Winton
  • Townsville
  • completion of Toowoomba.

Legislation

The Water Fluoridation Act 2008 was passed in March 2008. A copy of the legislation is available at http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/OQPChome.htm

Queensland Health is finalising the Water Fluoridation Regulation and the revised Code of Practice for the Fluoridation of Public Water Supplies.

Delivery of fluoridation infrastructure in South East Queensland

DIP is working directly with Seqwater and SureSmartWater to implement fluoride in South East Queensland.

For more information go to http://www.health.qld.gov.au/fluoride/water_fluoridation.asp

Delivery of fluoridation infrastructure in indigenous communities

DIP is working with other government organisations to implement fluoride in indigenous communities where it is safe to do so.

Regional Queensland delivery

An Infrastructure Project Management Group (IPMG) has been established by DIP to assist regional councils in implementing fluoridation in drinking water supplies.

A consortium of Cardno and Beca has been appointed as the IPMG. The IPMG will contact regional councils in the year they are scheduled to implement fluoridation to support them through the required processes. In addition, regional councils will also be able to access the IPMG, to discuss their fluoridation implementation needs, by phoning 07 3369 9822.

The IPMG will:

  • Establish and facilitate pre-qualified recommended supplier lists
  • Provide expert advice to water service providers
  • Provide technical advice to DLGSR on plant concept design approvals
  • Endorsement of initial subsidy applications and subsequent claims
  • Coordinate commissioning audits
  • Facilitate implementation, working with local councils
  • Develop benchmark designs

Capital subsidy

The Queensland Fluoridation Capital Assistance Program (QFCAP) recognises the additional costs faced by public potable water suppliers through the introduction of fluoride.

The Queensland Government has already allocated $25.5 million to QFCAP from 1 July 2008, to assist public potable water suppliers in regional Queensland with funding of up to 100 percent of eligible capital costs for projects which meet the criteria.

The State will provide subsidy towards the capital cost of the lowest life cycle cost option that will provide a reasonable level of service. The Minister for Main Roads and Local Government may consider proposals, which are not the lowest financial cost, subject to appropriate justification.

The subsidy will only apply to new projects, upgrading of existing dosing plants will not be eligible.

Eligible works include:

  • detailed design (investigation, design, planning and specification costs will attract subsidy only as part of a subsequently approved project to which the costs relate)
  • construction (plant and equipment)
  • initial plant operator training
  • chemical storage facilities.

Public potable water suppliers must ensure the dosing plants comply with the Water Fluoridation Act 2008 and Water Fluoridation Regulation (under development), and the 2008 Queensland Code of Practice for the Fluoridation of Public Water Supplies.

Operating subsidy

The Smaller Communities Fluoridation Operating Grants Scheme (SCFOGS) will provide subsidy towards annual operating costs of fluoridating potable water supplies. It will be available to small communities with less than 1700 residential connections. Subsidy will be considered where the annualised operating cost of water fluoridation per average household connection exceeds $10 a year (2008 dollars).

All other public potable water suppliers will be required to meet annual operating and life cycle costs.

Operator training

Public potable water suppliers are required to have their water plant operators trained in the safe dosing of fluoridation.

The NWP276a (Monitor, operate and report fluoridation systems) course is a unit which forms one competency from Certificate II in Water Industry Operations. Within the unit, students will learn about the various types of fluoridation systems as well as the safety, legal and reporting requirements of the Queensland Code of Practice for the Fluoridation of Public Water Supplies.

Further information

For further information on oral health and the benefits of fluoride go to http://www.health.qld.gov.au/fluoride/default.asp

For further information on the delivery of this infrastructure please contact:

Fluoride Project Director
Infrastructure Services Group
Telephone + 61 7 3898 0442
Email: fluoride@dip.qld.gov.au