Water & Sewerage Services
Everything you need to know about water supply, sewerage, connections, quality, billing, and restrictions in Mareeba Shire.
Water Emergency or Burst Main
Report urgent water issues 24/7
Council Emergency Line
1300 308 461MSC Water Services
Official Council water info & forms
Current Outages
MSC disaster dashboard & alerts
Water Quality Reports
Latest test results & compliance data
Water Service Areas
Mareeba Shire Council provides town water supply and sewerage services to specific urban areas. Rural properties outside these areas rely on tanks, bores, or creek water.
Town Water Supply Available
Mareeba
Full urban area, ~3,500 connections. Supplied from Tinaroo Dam via pipeline.
Kuranda
Village centre and surrounds, ~600 connections. Sourced from local creek and bores.
Dimbulah
Town centre, ~250 connections. Tinaroo Dam via Mareeba-Dimbulah Water Supply Scheme.
Chillagoe
Town centre, ~100 connections. Local bore water, treated and chlorinated.
Mount Molloy
Limited connections, ~50 properties. Bore water supply.
Julatten
Small scheme, ~30 connections. Creek and bore sources.
No Town Water (Self-Supply)
All other areas of Mareeba Shire, including:
- •Rural residential areas outside town boundaries
- •Farmland and grazing properties
- •Remote communities (Irvinebank, Palmer River, etc.)
Self-supply options:
- Rainwater tanks: Most common for household use. 60,000-100,000L typical for family.
- Bore water: Requires drilling permit from DNRME. Quality varies greatly – test before use.
- Creek/dam water: Requires water allocation if taking more than 20 megalitres/year or for commercial use.
Not sure if your property has town water? Check your rates notice (utility charges listed), use our Property Search tool, or call Council on 1300 308 461.
Sewerage Services
Council operates sewerage treatment systems in Mareeba, Kuranda, Dimbulah, and Chillagoe. Properties outside these areas use septic systems or treatment plants.
Reticulated Sewerage Available
- Mareeba: Full urban sewerage system, treatment plant on Granite Vale Road
- Kuranda: Village centre sewerage, treatment plant
- Dimbulah: Town centre connections, treatment system
- Chillagoe: Limited connections, treatment facility
Sewerage charges appear on rates notice if your property is connected.
On-Site Systems (Septic/Treatment Plants)
Properties without sewerage connections must have:
- •Septic tank & absorption trench: Most common rural solution. Requires suitable soil, regular pumping every 3-5 years.
- •Aerated treatment plant (ATU): Smaller footprint, better for poor soils. Requires power, ongoing maintenance.
Important: All on-site systems require Council approval before installation. Existing systems must be maintained to avoid health and environmental hazards. Septic tank pumping companies service Mareeba area.
Connecting to Water & Sewerage
New Connection Process
Check availability & feasibility
Contact Council to confirm water/sewer mains are in your street and connection is possible. Not all properties can connect even in serviced areas.
Apply & pay connection fees
Water connection: $1,500-$3,500 (varies by meter size, distance from main)
Sewerage connection: $2,000-$5,000 (varies by connection complexity)
Council installs meter/connection point
Council installs water meter and connection to main, or sewer connection point. Timeframe 2-6 weeks depending on workload.
Arrange licensed plumber for internal work
You must engage a licensed plumber to connect your property's internal pipes to the Council connection point. Council does not do internal plumbing.
Disconnection (Permanent or Temporary)
If you're leaving your property vacant for extended periods or permanently disconnecting:
- Temporary disconnection: Not available – you'll still be charged access/availability charges even if meter not in use. Turn off internal stop valve if property vacant.
- Permanent disconnection: Physical disconnection and meter removal. $500-$1,500 fee. May affect property value and future connection costs higher.
Change of Ownership/Tenancy
When buying, selling, or renting a property with water/sewer connections:
- Buyers/new tenants: Contact Council within 7 days to transfer account to your name. Provide settlement date, photo ID, forwarding address.
- Sellers/departing tenants: Notify Council of sale/lease end date for final meter read and account closure.
- Landlords: Can keep water account in your name with tenant paying usage, or transfer to tenant's name (tenant must agree).
Water Quality & Safety
Mareeba Shire Council is committed to providing safe, clean drinking water that meets Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. Water quality is monitored daily with comprehensive testing programs.
Mareeba Water Supply
- Source: Tinaroo Dam (also known as Tinaroo Falls Dam), on Barron River
- Treatment: Filtered and chlorinated at treatment plant before distribution
- Quality: Excellent raw water quality, low turbidity, minimal treatment required
- Testing: Daily chlorine residual checks, weekly microbiological and chemical testing
Other Town Supplies
- Kuranda: Local creek and bore sources, chlorinated, regular testing
- Dimbulah: Tinaroo Dam via irrigation channel, treatment & chlorination
- Chillagoe: Bore water, treated to meet drinking standards, harder water due to limestone
- All supplies meet Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG)
View Water Quality Reports
Council publishes quarterly water quality reports showing test results, compliance status, and any incidents or issues.
View Water Quality ReportsBoil Water Alerts
Occasionally, boil water alerts are issued if water quality is compromised (e.g., main breaks, treatment plant issues, contamination risk). Alerts are issued via:
- SMS to registered customers
- MSC website & social media
- Local radio (Hot FM 89.1)
- Door knocks for affected streets
Register your mobile number with Council to receive SMS alerts for water outages and boil water notices.
Water & Sewerage Charges
Water and sewerage charges appear on your quarterly rates notice from Mareeba Shire Council. Charges consist of fixed access fees plus usage charges (water only).
Water Charges
Access Charge (fixed)
~$350-$450/year
Charged to all connected properties regardless of usage. Covers infrastructure maintenance.
Usage Charge (metered)
$2.50-$3.00/kL
Charged per kilolitre (1,000 litres) used. Typical household: 150-250kL/year ($375-$750).
Total annual water charges for typical family home: $700-$1,200 (access + usage).
Sewerage Charges
Access Charge (fixed only)
~$600-$800/year
Flat annual fee. No usage charges – unlimited sewerage disposal for residential properties.
Vacancy Rebate
If your property is vacant for 6+ months, you may apply for a rebate on sewerage charges. Contact Council with evidence of vacancy.
Trade waste: Businesses discharging industrial wastewater face additional charges based on volume and pollutant load.
Reading Your Water Meter
Your water meter is usually located near the street boundary in a green plastic box or concrete pit. To check your usage:
- Lift the meter box lid carefully (watch for spiders/insects)
- Note the reading on the meter dial (black numbers, ignore red numbers)
- Compare to your last rates notice meter reading to calculate usage
- 1 unit = 1 kilolitre (1,000 litres)
High usage alert: If your bill suddenly increases, you may have a leak. Check toilets (put food dye in cistern – if color appears in bowl without flushing, you have a leak), taps, and garden hoses.
Water Restrictions
Water restrictions may be imposed during drought or when Tinaroo Dam levels are low. Restrictions apply to all town water users in affected areas.
Level 1
(Voluntary conservation)
- •Water lawns/gardens before 8am or after 6pm
- •Use trigger nozzles on hoses
- •Fix leaks promptly
Level 2
(Mandatory restrictions)
- •Watering 2 days/week only (odd/even addresses)
- •No sprinklers or automatic systems
- •Hand watering only, max 1 hour
Level 3
(Severe restrictions)
- •No outdoor watering (except hand-watering food plants)
- •No car washing, pool filling
- •Penalties up to $4,135 for breaches
Current restrictions: Check msc.qld.gov.au/water-restrictions for current restriction levels and Tinaroo Dam capacity.
Mareeba typically has no restrictions or Level 1 – Tinaroo Dam has large capacity (407,000 ML) and reliable rainfall. Level 2+ restrictions are rare but can occur in multi-year droughts.
Bore Water for Rural Properties
Many rural properties in Mareeba Shire rely on bore water (groundwater) for household, stock, and irrigation use. Bore water quality and yield varies significantly across the shire depending on geology and aquifer depth.
Permits & Regulations
- Drilling permit: Required from Queensland Department of Natural Resources, Mines & Energy before drilling any bore.
- Licensed driller: Only licensed water bore drillers can construct bores. Check DNRME register.
- Water allocation: Taking more than 5 megalitres/year may require water license/allocation.
- Completion report: Driller must lodge bore completion report with DNRME (depth, yield, water quality, geology log).
Bore Water Quality
Bore water quality in Mareeba Shire varies:
- ✓Granite areas: Generally good quality, soft water, suitable for household use
- ⚠Basalt areas: Moderate quality, may have high iron or manganese
- ✕Limestone areas (Chillagoe): Very hard water, high mineral content, may not be suitable for drinking without treatment
Always test bore water before use. Water testing labs in Cairns can test for bacteria, metals, hardness, salinity. Cost ~$150-$300.
Treatment Options for Bore Water
Depending on your bore water quality, treatment may include:
- UV sterilization: Kills bacteria/pathogens. Essential if bore water tests positive for E. coli or coliforms.
- Sediment filtration: Removes sand, silt, turbidity. Extends life of pumps and appliances.
- Water softening: Reduces hardness (calcium/magnesium). Protects hot water systems, improves washing.
- Iron/manganese removal: Prevents staining of fixtures, improves taste.
Local plumbers and water treatment specialists in Mareeba can advise on appropriate treatment systems based on your water test results.
Water Outages & Emergency Contacts
Check Current Outages
Planned and unplanned water outages, service interruptions, and boil water alerts are published on:
MSC Disaster DashboardReport Water Emergency
Burst mains, major leaks, sewerage overflows, contamination, or other urgent water issues:
1300 308 461Available 24/7 for emergencies
For non-urgent water enquiries (billing, connections, meter reads), call Council during business hours (Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm) or use the online contact form.