Beattie scraps water poll amid 'Armageddon situation'

Queensland Premier Peter Beattie has dumped plans for a poll on recycled water, saying there is no choice but to introduce it permanently into south-east Queensland's drinking water supplies.

Mr Beattie says the March 17 plebiscite will not go ahead as an "Armageddon situation" is fast approaching.

"I apologise to the people of south-east Queensland for obviously breaking an understanding I gave them but that was in less serious circumstances," he said.

"I wanted to give people a vote and it appeared using recycled water was an option but the inflow into the Wivenhoe-Somerset dam system is currently 20 per cent lower than the worst on record."

The Premier will outline further details of his plan later today.

Brisbane's Acting Mayor David Hinchliffe supports the decision to scrap the referendum and go ahead with the plan.

"Frankly I don't think the Government has got any alternative - we are in a dire situation," he said.

"We've had rain in the last 48 hours but it hasn't fallen in the catchment and that has been the pattern for the last two years.

"There is no alternative and we support the Government's scrapping of the referendum and it's full speed ahead for the recycling of water."

Toowoomba Mayor

Toowoomba Mayor Di Thorley says it is a great decision, despite residents there voting against using recycled water last year.

"Our view always was it was ridiculous to waste money on going to have any vote on something as important as water, and also on [the] fact that this water was safe, safer than the water we're using," she said.

"So we didn't believe [in] having the first one, certainly didn't believe in the second one, so we'll be supporting the Premier."