Barnes Hill Header Image

Seqwater is planning to carry out works on its water supply pipe network at Barnes Hill in Mount Crosby, west of Brisbane. 

The work will be carried out on a section of two trunk water pipes which transport water from the Mount Crosby Water Treatment Plants to Brisbane and Ipswich.

The work will require taking a 4km section of the two pipes offline to replace four valves to improve the reliability of Seqwater’s bulk water supply network.

The valves being replaced are more than 50 years old and are reaching the end of their service life.

Seqwater is the bulk water supplier in South East Queensland, and Urban Utilities is responsible for delivering this treated water to your homes and businesses. 

What to expect

Seqwater will carry out the work in two stages. We’re working closely with Seqwater to put a range of measures in place to ensure water supply is maintained during the trial and valve replacement work. This involves supplying water from different areas of the network.

Stage 1 - Trial (complete)

Trial works occurred from Thursday, 3 June - Sunday, 6 June and have now been completed. The pipes were taken offline temporarily to carry out network checks to help plan the works. 

Properties that were most likely to experience changes to their water supply received a notification in their letterbox. 

 

Stage 2 - Actual works

Date to be determined following the trial shutdown.

The valve replacement work is expected to take 36 hours to complete, weather and site conditions permitting.

Further notifications will be delivered to impacted properties outlining what to expect for this stage of the project

Potential impacts

During the valve replacement works, properties in Brisbane and Ipswich may temporarily experience: 

  • reduced or low water pressure,
  • a change in the taste and odour of their water,
  • potentially some discolouration of the water.

The water is safe to drink.

No loss of water should occur. 

If you do experience a complete loss of water, please report this to our Faults and Emergencies line on 13 23 64.

Building Managers: we recommend contacting the relevant fire and equipment service provider for advice about preparing your building systems before the potential pressure reduction.

More information

For more information, view the other tabs on this page or visit the Seqwater website. 

Some areas are more likely to experience changes to their water supply, including elevated areas in Brisbane’s western suburbs, Kuraby and surrounding suburbs, and parts of Ipswich.

Impacted properties will be notified in advance via information in their letterbox.

The following areas have been identified as more likely to experience changes to their water supply during the trial in June. This list may be updated prior to the actual valve replacement works and properties will be notified in advance.

Ipswich
  • Amberley
  • Blacksoil
  • Brassall
  • Chuwar
  • Ipswich CBD
  • Karrabin
  • Moores Pocket
  • Muirlea
  • North Ipswich
  • Pine Mountain
  • Thagoona
  • Tivoli
  • Walloon

Information about fish keeping

There will be a temporary change in chlorine levels in parts of Ipswich during the trial and the works, so if any customers in these areas use water for special purposes such as aquariums, we recommend testing the water and contacting your local aquarium or pet shop for advice if needed. The drinking water supply will continue to meet the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. There is also general information on our website about fish keeping here.

Brisbane western suburbs
  • Anstead
  • Bellbowrie
  • Brookfield
  • Kenmore
  • Kenmore Hills
  • Mt Crosby
  • Moggill 
  • Pinjarra Hills
  • Pullenvale 

Tankering in your area

During the trial, we’ll also be using water tankers to help maintain water supply at locations around Brisbane’s western suburbs. These tankers will connect to the local network and help keep the water flowing to local taps.

Customers may expect some noise during operation of the tanker. Parking may be restricted in some areas but local access will be maintained at all times.

Brisbane
  • Drewvale
  • Eight Mile Plains
  • Kuraby
  • Parkinson
  • Runcorn
  • Sunnybank 
  • Sunnybank Hills
Community Notes
For more information, view the other tabs on this page or visit the Seqwater website.

barnes hill imageBarnes Hill – or Camel Humps, according to the locals – is named after John Barnes who owned the hills and river frontage in that area in the late 19th century.

Pipes have been laid in this area for a long time to supply water from Mount Crosby to Brisbane, starting in 1890. 

These are some of Brisbane’s most historic water pipes. The pipe route follows the former stock route from Wivenhoe in the Brisbane Valley to Brisbane, known as the Butchers Track, which later became Mount Crosby Road and Moggill Road.

As Brisbane’s demand for water increased during the 20th century, more and larger pipes were added – progressing from one pipe with a 30cm diameter to two pipes with 1.65m diameters that we have today.

FAQsbarnes hill image

Why are these works occurring?

The work will require taking a 4km section of the two pipes offline to replace four valves to improve the reliability of Seqwater’s bulk water supply network. The valves being replaced are more than 50 years old and are reaching the end of their service life.

Will I lose water during the trial or works period?

No loss of water should occur. If you do experience a complete loss of water, please report this to our Faults and Emergencies line on 13 23 64.

Why would I experience a change to the taste and odour of my water?

Customers in some parts of Brisbane and Ipswich may notice a change to the taste and odour of their water. This is due to the water being supplied from a different area than usual.

It's common for water from different sources to have differences in taste and odour, however all tap water meets the stringent Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. 

Why would I experience discoloured water?

Discoloured water can occur due to water being supplied from another area and the required change in direction of water flow through the pipeline to your house.

Learn more about discoloured water. 

Can I still use water during the works?

While the trial is underway, residents in Brisbane and Ipswich can continue to use water as usual however we always encourage people to be waterwise.

Will the water be safe to use and drink?

All tap water meets the stringent Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. 

More information

  • Visit the Seqwater website
  • Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
  • Talk to us on webchat (6am to 9pm weekdays).
  • Contact our General Enquiries line on 13 26 57 (8am to 6pm weekdays).
  • Contact our 24/7 Faults and Emergencies line on 13 23 64 if you experience issues with your water supply.