I am pleased to advise that since October 2005 my Department has approved subsidies of $75.4 million to the Cairns Regional Council for the upgrade of four Waste Water Treatment Plants.

The Northern, Southern, Edmonton and Marlin Coast Plants were each identified as high State priorities in the 2007 Local Government Infrastructure Services Sewerage Treatment Plants Report.

Cairns Regional Council advised the upgraded Plants will benefit the environment by
reducing nitrogen discharged onto the Great Barrier Reef by 50%, phosphorous by 80% and suspended solids by 80%. The upgraded facilities will also have an enhanced capacity to service Cairns' growing population.

I understand recycled water from these new systems will be supplied to:
-?the Botanic Gardens for irrigation;
-?the new Cairns airport for toilets and external irrigation;
-?a new 1 000 house subdivision at Trinity Park on the Marlin Coast for non potable use; such as toilet flushing and outdoor irrigation;
-?the Yorkeys Knob State School for external uses; and
-?the Paradise Palms and Yorkeys Knob golf courses for irrigation purposes.

I am pleased that the upgrades currently in progress will improve the quality of effluent
discharge into the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.