There are six existing reservoirs scattered across the city but this number is set to increase to seven. 

Construction for the new reservoir, number 3A, began on Tuesday, November 27. The work includes preparing the base and foundations for the structure. 

Mayor Joyce McCulloch said the new reservoir will help prolong council’s supply to the city, in the event of pumping outages or supply trunk main breakages. 

The installation of number 3A should not impact residents’ water supply. 

“No residents of Townview or the surrounding suburbs should detect any changes in their water supply, pressure or quality,” Cr McCulloch said. 

“Council’s water network is equipped to handle circumstances such as this.

“In terms of their water supply, we’re confident residents will not even realise that the replacement work is going on.”

During the work the existing number 3 reservoir will be temporarily taken offline.

Cr McCulloch said it will be refurbished and repaired so that it can be used again in the future. 

“This will only future-proof and strengthen the reliability of our potable water supply network, and significantly improve its lifespan,” she said. 

The first stage of works is set to be completed by early January 2019. The assembly of the 6.8 million-litre reservoir is due to start in March, 2019. 

It will be located at a new site between existing reservoirs at the eastern end of Pamela Street. 

Council’s director of engineering services Emilio Cianetti said the new 6.8ML reservoir will increase the city’s immediate storage capacity from 34.45ML to 41.3ML. 

“This will give about 1.8 days of storage of potable in our system under normal usage,” he said. 

A council spokesperson advised access to the track leading to the reservoirs from the end of Pamela Street, might at times be closed to all non-construction traffic, including pedestrians.

“The new reservoir’s construction stages will require periodic access to the site by heavy machinery, including trucks and cranes, via Pamela Street,” she said. 

 “Council regrets any temporary inconveniences that may be caused during the construction period.”

The project was jointly funded by council and the state government’s Building Our Regions Fund.

Mount Isa City Council crews and local contractors will complete the civil construction works. 

A Melbourne-based specialist company has supplied and will assemble the reservoir. 

While you’re here, sign up to our weekly newsletter delivered straight to your email inbox each Friday at 6am.