Water worries downplayed

The Department of Water has downplayed concerns about a divisive mineral sands project in Yoongarillup and potential risks posed by drawing 1.6GL of water each year from the Yarragadee aquifer.

Doral Mineral Sands received Environment Minister Albert Jacob’s tick of approval in June, accompanied by a raft of environmental conditions, paving the way for a three-year ore operation 17km south-east of Busselton.

Doral general manager Andrew Templeman told theTimes the company may require up to 1.6GL annually from the Yarragadee aquifer for the separation of mineral sands, but said that amount could be less with water-saving tactics.

Mr Templeman said Doral was in discussions to source some of the fully allocated aquifer “in whole or in part from alternate industries”.

Department of Water acting regional manager Mike McKenna said Doral had applied to access the public water reserve, but was instead advised to investigate other options.

Mr McKenna said Doral had requested the department grant temporary three-year access to the public reserve if an allocation could not be sourced or traded, but downplayed concerns about water scarcity.

“If a temporary three-year licence for 1.65GL/year was granted, it would not impact on Busselton Water or the Water Corporation’s current and future water demand, as Doral’s use of the water would end long before the reserve water would be required for scheme supplies,” he said.

“Busselton’s water supply is secure, as is the supply to surrounding towns such as Dunsborough and Capel.”

During last year’s public consultation, the departments of Water, Environmental Regulation and Parks and Wildlife, the Busselton-Dunsborough Environment Centre and the Forest Products Commission all raised concerns about changes to groundwater regimes and the potential to affect native vegetation.

Mr McKenna highlighted Doral’s need to undertake further hydro-geological investigation to develop a “comprehensive water resource management operating strategy and monitoring program” before any licence would be granted.

However, Busselton-Dunsborough Environment Centre acting convenor Alison Cassanet raised concerns about whether or not these plans would be made available to the public.

“The public do not receive any of the reports which relate to the vegetation health, the impacts of water drawdown or in fact, the appropriateness of the offset land – it is highly unlikely it will be like for like,” she said.

The centre also raised several concerns during public consultation, including impact on flora and fauna, and damage to black cockatoo roosting grounds.

“The BDEC has ongoing concerns about the mine and whether the monitoring, offsets and mitigations will in fact be sufficient to protect the neighbouring Whicher Scarp forest from edge effects,” Ms Cassanet said.

Despite the environmental concerns, Mr Templeman was confident in Doral’s ability to manage the site.

He also highlighted the project’s economic benefits, which he said would provide employment for about 50 people at a site near Busselton and Picton, additional employment for up to 50 contractors and the “spin-off” to local businesses throughout the mine’s life.

The company expected the site to be operational mid-2017.