Population growth on the Gold Coast means its council must urgently spend $250 million to build a new wastewater pipeline across Southport Broadwater "through South Stradbroke Island" – and dump it 2.5 kilometres out to sea.
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The rapidly growing population on the northern section of the Gold Coast has now put its Coombabah waste treatment plant at critical levels.
On Friday, mayor Tom Tate announced a "line in the sand" proposal to transform the northern edge of the Southport Spit as a new parkland and allow high-rise development on the southern half of the Spit.
Part of the proposal is to increase the amount of Gold Coast effluent able to be used to irrigate a new 140-hectare parkland on the northern section of the Southport Spit.
At present, treated wastewater from Gold Coast toilets runs out to sea along two pipelines: one along the northern Gold Coast Broadwater sea wall from the northern suburbs, and a second along the southern Broadwater sea wall from the southern suburbs.
Save Our Spit president Dr Steve Gration said Cr Tate's plan was "sleight of hand" and that the Gold Coast planned to spend $250 million to get the new wastewater pipeline to South Stradbroke Island.
He said Save Our Spit did not oppose using recycled waste water on Southport Spit – it was now being used – but insisted there was more to the story.
"We have always thought treated waste water should be utilised,"Dr Gration said.
"If not on the Gold Coast, on the new housing estates or on new crops that might be developed to replace sugar cane between the Gold Coast and Brisbane."
He said it was a resource the Gold Coast could in the future sell to drier, agricultural areas.
Save Our Spit vice-president Darren Crawford, who had been part of meetings with Gold Coast City Council, said the plan to dump the water out to sea was yet to be tested.
Mr Crawford, a university researcher, said the Gold Coast City Council wanted to duplicate the existing northern waste water pipeline from Coombabah waste treatment plant across the northern Southport Broadwater seawall and under South Stradbroke Island.
"So straight down Brisbane Road, across the Broadwater, then straight through South Stradbroke Island and then 2.5 kilometres out to sea," Mr Crawford said.
"And that is what the mayor is not telling people today.
"They (council engineers) say we have reached critical mass (at Coombabah) and this waste water needs to go somewhere."
Cr Tate confirmed a new extended $250 million northern waste water pipeline under South Stradbroke Island was being planned.
However waste water from the southern sections of the Gold Coast – coming along a pipeline in the Broadwater along the opposite, southern seawall – would be diverted to water new gardens on the Southport Spit, he said.
He said the parkland now was "a disgrace" with old tyres and rubbish, and that recycled water could generate parklands.
"I want to treat that water to Class A and then have it redirected so volunteer groups have it at hand to enhance the Spit," he said.
"The Federation Walk precinct and the grassed areas so this area becomes a true central park for our residents and millions of visitors.
Cr Tate said the plan was his suggestion to let development proceed on the southern half of the Southport Spit.
"South of the line, any commercial land existing now should be given the go-ahead," he said.
"That includes the proposed ASF (casino), Mariners Cove and Sheraton improvements," he said.
"Part of their conditions can be to create a single traffic solution for that area south of 'The Line'.
"Make them work (the developers) together, at no cost to ratepayers."
