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Water Resource Plan for the Pilbara
A 20-year plan to guide water resource management in the Pilbara was launched in Karratha last Friday by Western Australian Water Minister Graham Jacobs. The ‘Pilbara regional water plan 2010-2030' includes a five-year action plan to guide sustainable management of the region's water resources and water services.
In the Pilbara, and based on the parameters set by this strategy, water allocation plans will be developed for all areas where there are likely to be multiple interests (such as mining, towns and ports) seeking to use and/or abstract water from the same resource. Coastal alluvial aquifers will be the first priority areas. There are currently no water allocation plans for the Pilbara. The plan seeks to address a number of core issues in the region, including:
- water availability - which for the main towns in the Pilbara is heavily cyclone dependent
- water demand - which is growing most rapidly in the main coastal towns
- the strong link that Aboriginal people have with the water of the Pilbara
- the importance of water in maintaining the unique environment of the Pilbara
- the importance of using water wisely and adopting best practice water management across all industries.
According to the Water Minister, the plan provided a longer-term strategy towards sustainable water resource planning and management:
Water is a defining feature of the Pilbara, supporting a unique landscape which also boasts the economic powerhouse of the country. However, despite the usual difficult balance and trade-offs between development, environment and indigenous values, the uncertainty of the region's water resources being recharged by cyclonic rains, makes it even more complex.
Increasing population, industry demands, and making the region an attractive place in which to live and work are challenged by the unreliable rainfall and the uncertainty of the future climate.
People, energy and water are the key drivers to viable regional development and the State Government must be well placed so that water does not become the limiting growth factor in the development of a revitalised Pilbara. Clear planning by Government can help the mining industry and regional community adapt to the challenges.
The plan recognises that by 2030, overall water use would more than double, with mine dewatering discharge anticipated to increase threefold - particularly in the next 10 years - with the anticipated rapid expansion of the mining industry. Identifying future water supply was a significant issue - particularly in examining non-traditional sources and achieving a raft of efficiency gains.
The Minister said the plan recognised increasing population and demand for water to support towns and industry, supply from current sources would be insufficient.
Water availability has reached, or is approaching the limits of available supply, and the West Pilbara water supply is the immediate priority. A priority action is to ensure security of supply and detailed planning for the West Pilbara and Port Hedland water supply schemes to find new sources of water.
Previous investigations have shown there are no convenient short-term sources in the West Pilbara, although demand management, recycling, water use efficiency and timely cyclonic rains have delayed the pressure for new source development.
The plan's proposed actions encompassed five themes: water availability; water demand; the strong link Aboriginal people have with the region's water; the importance of water in maintaining the Pilbara's unique environment; and the importance of using water wisely and adopting best-practice water management throughout industry.
