Joe Cullen
North Queensland Practice Lead - Project Management
Haughton Pipeline - Stage 2
Strengthening Townsville’s long-term water security, the Haughton Pipeline is a major initiative to convey raw water to Ross River Dam during prolonged low-rainfall periods. Stage 2 extends the pipeline to the Burdekin River and is now in construction as a $280 million investment jointly funded by Townsville City Council and the Queensland Government.
Project overview
The Haughton Pipeline is a major regional water security initiative jointly funded by Townsville City Council and the Queensland Government. Its purpose is to convey raw water to Ross River Dam to “top up” dam storage during prolonged low-rainfall periods, strengthening the resilience and reliability of Townsville’s water supply.
Stage 2 is a $280 million investment currently in construction, extending the pipeline to the Burdekin River and delivering the infrastructure and commissioning works required for end-to-end system operation. The program is being delivered to support long-term operational resilience and redundancy in the regional water supply network, with a minimum 50-year design life.
RPS continues its role from earlier stages, providing contract administration, design management, and project and program management to support delivery.
The challenge
Delivering a linear water infrastructure project across a 28.5 km alignment requires careful coordination of approvals, environmental compliance, and construction logistics. Stage 2 has required establishment of a continuous construction corridor of approximately 40 metres and the development of access roads to support activity along the route.
The program also involves multiple land tenures and stakeholder interfaces, alongside the need to maintain compliance with environmental requirements while sustaining construction continuity. This includes the preparation and implementation of environmental management measures and the coordination of surveys and compliance activities to meet approval conditions.
Delivery complexity is increased by the requirement to manage multiple contracts running concurrently, with varied scopes and values, and to coordinate interfaces across contractors and suppliers, particularly where works must be sequenced and access managed across the corridor.
Our approach
RPS has supported Townsville City Council’s delivery of Stage 2 through integrated PMCA services, including:
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Contract administration and commercial management across eight separate contracts (ranging from approximately $550,000 to $146,000,000).
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Design management and engineering coordination, continuing from earlier stages.
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Project and program management, including schedule, risk, and interface control across multiple contractors and suppliers.
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Support for approvals, environmental controls and stakeholder engagement to enable construction continuity.
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Local industry and procurement focus, including use of Australian-manufactured GRP and MSCL pipe where practicable.
To support consistency across a multi-contract delivery model, RPS implemented a consolidated contract administration framework, supported integrated program reviews and reporting, and worked closely with the project team to manage interfaces, sequencing and delivery priorities. Stakeholder engagement has also been a critical component of the approach, with tailored communication to support coordination across landholders and maintain momentum across a dispersed construction footprint.
The result
Stage 1 was completed in 2021, forming the foundation for the extended works. Planning for Stage 2 began in 2020 and construction commenced in 2023..
The program is delivering increased long-term water security for Townsville by strengthening operational resilience and redundancy in the regional water supply network, supporting community and industry needs. A focus on local procurement and delivery has also supported local participation, including engaging more than 300 locally based staff.
Pump station scope has been temporarily deferred due to funding constraints, with Council undertaking a feasibility assessment of alternative solutions and identifying potential funding sources. In the meantime, the project has continued to progress key corridor works and supporting documentation, enabling efficient close-out of the current phase and readiness to continue once the pump station solution and funding are confirmed.
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