Deception Bay was among the suburbs that received wastewater pipe relining as Unitywater carried out a large-scale program to reduce odour and prevent overflows across the Moreton Bay region.
Read: Wastewater Blockages Rising in Narangba and Deception Bay
Over a two-year period, the utility reported that it had relined 53 kilometres of wastewater mains and renewed 317 maintenance holes across Moreton Bay, the Sunshine Coast and Noosa as part of a $400 million replacements and renewals program.
Within the Moreton Bay area, about 26 kilometres of pipes were relined and 91 maintenance holes renewed. In Deception Bay, 74.3 metres of pipe were relined, while another 29.8 metres were completed in Eatons Hill.
The works used trenchless techniques rather than full excavations. Unitywater said crews applied spiral PVC relining and cured-in-place UV polymer liners to the inside of existing pipes — methods the utility described as less disruptive and more cost-effective than digging up and replacing entire sections, particularly in built-up suburbs.
Residents raised odour concerns in Deception Bay
Residents in a local Deception Bay Facebook group had voiced frustration about unpleasant smells in tap water in late 2024 and early 2025, reporting odours variously described as chlorine-like and earthy.
Authorities, including Seqwater and Unitywater, explained that such taste and odour issues reported across parts of south-east Queensland were most often caused by naturally occurring algae or bacteria in raw water sources. These compounds could affect smell and taste but, agencies stressed, did not necessarily mean the water was unsafe to drink.
Program aimed to prevent overflows and improve network reliability
Unitywater’s maintenance program also targeted sewer-related causes of odour. The utility noted that hydrogen sulphide, the gas produced in wastewater, could be corrosive and over time damage concrete and metal pipework, increasing the risk of faults and overflows.
Crews carried out CCTV inspections, jet-blasting to remove debris, tree-root removal, and, where needed, raised maintenance holes so that stormwater could not flood into the wastewater network during heavy rain.
While Unitywater stated that the relining should reduce odour complaints and improve network operability over time, the work was not considered a single-fix for all local water-smell concerns. Tap-water odours could stem from a range of sources, including household plumbing. Water authorities advised residents to run taps for a minute or two, check whether the smell affected only one fixture, and report persistent problems to their water provider for testing and investigation.
Read: Oyster Reef Trial Aims to Boost Water Quality in Lawnton and Kallangur
For many people in Deception Bay, the relining work was largely invisible but still relevant. Unitywater positioned the upgrades as part of its long-term effort to reduce smells, lower overflow risk, and maintain ageing underground infrastructure.
Published 10-October-2025
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