Picnic Bay Reservoir Bypass Pipeline

Investment $3.2 million
Goal4. A sustainable destination that embraces and participates in the arts, sports and events and recreational activities.
Strategic PurposeImprove reliability and risk management of the water supply system at Magnetic Island to ensure long term water security for the island.
StatusPreliminary investigation works underway

Project Overview

Council is committed to providing the community with infrastructure that is well-maintained, robust and efficient, and is carrying out plans to improve the water supply system at Magnetic Island to ensure long term water security for the community. The Picnic Bay Reservoir that provides a potable water storage for Picnic Bay and other parts of Magnetic Island requires refurbishment, including the replacement of its roof. The existing water supply network for Magnetic Island does not allow for the Reservoir to be taken off-line for an extended period of time to facilitate its refurbishment. Council has investigated several options to improve the security and reliability of Magnetic Island’s water supply system, with the adopted strategy being the construction of a bypass water main to redirect water into the Magnetic Island water network, enabling the isolation of the Picnic Bay Reservoir for the necessary refurbishments.

The Reservoir Bypass Pipeline project involves the construction of a 940 metre long, 375mm diameter potable water main along West Point Road and Yule Street, between the Cockle Bay Drive and Birt Street intersections. The pipeline will connect to the existing water main that runs along West Point Road (from Bolger Bay to the Picnic Bay Reservoir) at one end and to the water main at the Yule Street and Birt Street intersection, which is the outlet main from the Picnic Bay Reservoir. The project is in the investigation and design phase with construction expected to commence in mid 2023.

Preliminary Program

The preliminary program is as follows:

  1. Geotechnical Site Investigation Works - commence from 15 to 29 September 2022, involving some service locations and geotechnical drilling along the route of the proposed pipeline.
  2. Design and approvals – anticipated to occur in 2022 and early 2023.
  3. Tendering & Construction - anticipated that the construction works would commence mid 2023.

Community Impact

The impact on the community will predominantly be associated with traffic disruption along West Point Road and Yule Street, between the Cockle Bay Drive and Birt Street intersections.

The initial impact as part of the site geotechnical investigations (September 2022) will be:

  • Short sections of one-way traffic during investigation works.
  • This would be managed by manual stop/go traffic controller directing traffic around the geotechnical drilling rig and hydro-vac service location vehicle during the initial investigation works.
  • Short waits at the stop sign are expected.