An indigenous community running out of drinking water has been guaranteed a safe and reliable supply for the next 12 months with the Queensland government funding a temporary desalination plant.
A failed wet season at Palm Island, off Townsville, had left the 2000 residents in the area with only three or four months of drinking water if their drought continued.
But the state government on Friday announced it had approved a $7 million safety package, including the desalination plant and other emergency measures, to supply water until February next year.
Deputy Premier and Infrastructure Minister Jackie Trad said the desalination plant would be ready by June to supply the community for nine months.
"This temporary desalination plant will give this community peace of mind that their water will not run out," said Ms Trad, who also commended the local residents for reducing their water consumption.
Other measures to increase supply include improving the water quality and operational efficiency of the existing water treatment plant, and transferring water from storages into the main Palm Island dam.
The announcement comes only a week after Mayor Alf Lacey said authorities weren't responding quickly enough to ensure the island didn't run out of drinking water.
"If Palm Island was Brisbane the situation would be different," he told AAP.
Mr Lacey had asked Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in October to consider emergency interventions and new water supplies over concerns the situation was becoming critical.
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