Landmark water infrastructure to unlock Toowoomba’s housing future
Published on 14 July 2026
The Toowoomba Region is set to take a major step towards its next era of growth following a significant Queensland Government investment through the Residential Activation Fund (RAF) to accelerate delivery of the Southern Water Treatment Plant at Westbrook.
Toowoomba Region Mayor Geoff McDonald said the State’s $145 million in funding would help unlock one of the most significant housing and growth opportunities in the Region’s history, supporting thousands of future homes while creating the infrastructure needed for generations to come.
“Today’s announcement sets a new benchmark. This investment by the Crisafulli Queensland Government is the largest single council project grant that Toowoomba Regional Council has received on behalf of our community,” Mayor McDonald said.
“This announcement today is more than unlocking the potential of 33,000 new homes. This announcement provides credibility to the council and community advocacy process. This announcement provides unheralded positivity for the Toowoomba Region.
“This funding is about much more than water infrastructure. It is about creating the foundations for new communities, new neighbourhoods, new jobs and new opportunities for generations of Queenslanders.
“The Toowoomba Region is one of Queensland’s great regional success stories. People are choosing to live here, businesses are choosing to invest here, and families are choosing to build their futures here.
“To support that growth, we need to invest in the infrastructure that makes future communities possible.
“The Southern Water Treatment Plant is exactly that type of region-shaping infrastructure. It will unlock the capacity needed to support up to 33,000 future homes across our Region and help ensure Toowoomba remains one of Queensland’s most liveable and prosperous regional centres.”
Mayor McDonald said the project aligned strongly with Council’s vision of ensuring the Region remained ready to seize future opportunities.
“At a time when housing supply is a major challenge across Queensland, this investment demonstrates that the Toowoomba Region is ready to be part of the solution,” he said.
“We are not simply planning for the next few years. We are planning for the next generation.
“This project sends a strong message that our Region is confident, growing and ready for the future.”
Deputy Mayor and portfolio spokesperson for Strategic Water Planning and Capital Delivery Cr Rebecca Vonhoff said the announcement highlighted the critical role essential infrastructure plays in unlocking housing and supporting sustainable growth.
“Before you can build homes, you need the infrastructure that supports them,” Cr Vonhoff said.
“While future residents will see new homes, new neighbourhoods and new communities, it is investments like this happening behind the scenes that make that growth possible.
“The Southern Water Treatment Plant will provide the backbone infrastructure needed to support major residential development across the Region, including new growth opportunities in southern Toowoomba and beyond.
“Our current water treatment plant at Mt Kynoch was built in 1975. I can’t overstate how critical today’s announcement of this water infrastructure at Westbrook is for us.”
Cr Vonhoff said the project would help Council stay ahead of growth and provide the certainty needed to accelerate housing delivery.
“Our responsibility is to ensure infrastructure keeps pace with growth and that we are planning ahead rather than reacting after the fact,” she said.
“This investment will help unlock housing at greater scale and pace, provide greater water security and support the continued growth of communities right across the Toowoomba Region.
“It is a project that will benefit current residents, future residents and the broader Queensland economy.”
The Southern Water Treatment Plant will deliver critical trunk water infrastructure to support future residential growth, strengthen network resilience and provide increased water supply capacity across the Toowoomba Region. The project is expected to support about 33,000 dwellings over the long term while improving water security and operational flexibility across the city’s water network.
Council will now work closely with the Queensland Government to progress detailed planning and delivery of the project.