Unitywater is progressing a major wastewater network upgrade in Morayfield aimed at supporting long-term population growth across the Moreton Bay region. The infrastructure program will service new development areas at Morayfield South Central and Caboolture West, which together are expected to accommodate around 126,000 additional residents over the next 20 years.
The Morayfield Wastewater Network Capacity Upgrade Project will be delivered in two stages and forms part of Unitywater’s broader strategy to plan for future demand in collaboration with government and industry stakeholders. The utility has been working closely with the State Government, the City of Moreton Bay and local developers to ensure wastewater infrastructure is aligned with growth forecasts and land-use planning.
Unitywater Executive Manager Sustainable Infrastructure Solutions, Mike Basterfield, said the first stage of the project would unlock capacity for new housing while strengthening the existing network.
“Our first stage will deliver wastewater services for 26,000 people and includes upgrading two wastewater pumping stations in Coach Road West and Buchanan Road, and laying nearly three kilometres of wastewater pipeline,” Mr Basterfield said.
The second stage will focus on enabling development in Caboolture West, where more than 100,000 new residents are expected to move over the next two decades. “The second stage will deliver wastewater services for around 100,000 residents by decommissioning the current pipeline and installing a new one to increase capacity that connects the new development areas to our South Caboolture Wastewater Treatment Plant,” Mr Basterfield said.
He added that the upgrades would improve network resilience as the region expands. “As the number of households in the region grows, the investment in these infrastructure upgrades will increase the network’s capacity, reliability and reduce the risk of overflows during extreme weather events.”
Delivery of the project will be undertaken with Unitywater’s delivery partner, Downer. Downer Executive General Manager Water, Neal Firth, said construction methods would be tailored to local conditions, combining open trenching with trenchless techniques where required to minimise disruption.
Stage one construction is expected to be completed in mid-2027, while stage two is currently in early design, with investigations continuing to inform future works.
