Design and construction of second Jerrabomberra Reservoir

Project typeCapital Works
Project value$20 million
Project scheduleJuly 2025 - December 2026
Contractor nameLeed Engineering and Construction Pty Ltd

Jerrabomberra-Reservoir-being-filled-9-September-2026.jpg

Project update - 24 September

The reservoir has been filled with water, and contractors are continuing work on the roof and fencing around the reservoir.

Project background

The project consists of:

Design and construction a new 19.4 ML concrete reservoir (adjacent to the existing reservoir) and associated site works to facilitate safe and effective operation and maintenance of the site
New retaining wall and earthworks as required for the new reservoir
Replacement of the existing boundary fence and gate
Demolition of existing auxiliary 1.8 ML reservoir
Other associated works

The Jerrabomberra Reservoir is part of the Queanbeyan-Palerang Water Supply Scheme. It supplies water to the bulk of Queanbeyan. The existing Jerrabomberra Reservoir is a steel reservoir with a storage capacity of 22ML. This reservoir has now been in continuous service for in excess of 40 years and is in need of refurbishment. In addition to this, the site lacks sufficient storage in the event of supply interruption from Icon Water, a shortcoming identified in Council’s recently developed Queanbeyan Integrated Water Cycle Management Plan. To address these concerns, QPRC will construct a new reservoir to provide for additional water storage and to enable rectification works to be undertaken to the existing reservoir.

The works are located within the Jerrabomberra Mountain Reserve, a highly valued natural area. As such, the contractor will be required to maintain Jerrabomberra Hill Road for the duration of the works, and will also be required to manage their works to minimise the interruption to users of the reserve. The contractor will also be required to manage the environmental impacts in accordance with the approved Review of Environmental Factors.

The project is fully funded by Council from water charges and developer contributions.

Project Timeframes

The project timeframes are outlined below. All dates are indicative and may change.

Completed tasks

Design and Construct Tender closed – mid-April 2025
Design and Construct Tender awarded by Council at 24 July 2025 meeting to Leed Engineering and Construction Pty Ltd
Preliminary works included trimming of vegetation, establishment of site compounds, establishment of environmental, pedestrian and traffic controls and site investigations - August 2025.
Setting up the site compound and environmental controls - October 2025
Installing access controls to prevent unauthorised access to Mount Jerrabomberra Reserve - October 2025
Excavating material to extend the retaining wall and placement the material near the entrance to allow better construction access - October 2025
Smaller reservoir was demolished - October 2025
A large number of semi-trailers delivered pipes, reinforcement and steel work throughout January and February 2026.
Construction of a retaining wall and earthworks in January 2026 and the first concrete pour occurred in February 2026.
Contractor conducted night works to pour the concrete base for the new reservoir - February 2026.
Concrete walls were poured and cured - April 2026.
Concrete walls have been raised and installed - April-August 2026
Reservoir has been filled with water - September 2026