The Queensland government has awarded Tenix Alliance the tender to design and construct water fluoridation facilities in south-east Queensland.

Premier Anna Bligh announced that Tenix would upgrade six plants to provide fluoridated water to the region by 2012, in a $35 million program.

Tenix has designed and constructed more than 30 treatment plants across Australia.

Work at a facility in Mount Crosby, west of Brisbane, starts next month, and will deliver fluoridated water from December.

Ms Bligh said it was a big leap forward for preventative health in Queensland.

“Fluoridation is a safe, effective and proven preventative against tooth decay and I am committed to ensuring that future generations of Queenslanders will reap the benefits,” she said.

The first phase of the program includes upgrades to plants at Mt Crosby and North Pine to cover greater Brisbane, Landers Shute on the Sunshine Coast, and Molendinar and Mudgeeraba on the Gold Coast.

The remaining plants will be upgraded by the end of 2009.

The SEQ Fluoride Program will be managed by new bulk water authority Seqwater on behalf of the state government.