Overview of Major Environment Impact Assessment that WAFIC is engaged with December 2024
Below is an overview of major EIA projects that WAFIC is engaged with July-December 2024.
Water Corporation Projects
Water Corporation is Investigating New Water Sources in Exmouth
Water Corporation is currently investigating new water sources in Exmouth to meet projected future demand.
The two main options being considered for Exmouth’s new drinking water source are an expansion of groundwater south of Exmouth, or a local seawater desalination plant in Exmouth Gulf, with Water Corporation commencing marine investigations in Exmouth Gulf in December 2024.
The purpose of these investigation is to identify a preferred location for a potential Exmouth Seawater Desalination Plant (SDP) intake and outfall, as well as understanding the operating risks of the proposed location and to inform an environmental impact assessment. The investigations will involve water quality vertical profiles (24 months), continuous water quality monitoring using submerged loggers (24 months), current and wave data collection (six months), benthic habitat characterisation/mapping (at least one survey) and freshwater seep identification and characterisation (at least one survey).
These investigations will inform a decision on the preferred option (groundwater expansion or seawater desalination), which is expected in 2025.
Further information including fact sheets and maps with the SDP site options can also be found on the project webpage.
WAFIC has notified all potentially impacted fishers in the Exmouth region. If you have any comments/concerns regarding this project, or would like to get in touch with Water Corporation, please contact [email protected].
Albany Desalination Plant Proposal
With Water Corporation confirming that its preferred location for a desalination plant is now overlooking Frenchman’s Bay, Albany fishers and aquaculture stakeholders are expressing their concerns about the potential damage caused by hypersaline wastewater and cleaning agents that will be expelled into the bay as part of the plant’s operation.
Frenchman Bay is currently the only remaining option being considered for desalination intake and outfall infrastructure, with other options eliminated due to their high cultural and environmental values and constructability and maintenance difficulty. Water Corporation is still conducting investigations to assess Frenchman’s Bays suitability, with upcoming onshore and offshore geological surveys for potential intake and outfall pipeline routes in the area.
Of particular concern is the proximity of the proposed desalination plant to Albany’s Shellfish Hatchery, which produce highly sensitive spat that rely on the pristine water quality of Frenchman’s Bay. Local commercial fishers are also concerned about the impacts on local pilchards, beach seine fishing and the flow on effects to local processing.
A final decision on the water source location is expected in 2025. After this, the proposal will be sent to the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) for approvals and environmental assessments, which will include a formal opportunity for public comment. This new water source is anticipated to be operational by 2029/30.
WAFIC has a factsheet from Water Corporation that provides additional information on the project. Please note that there are references to locations that are no longer being progressed, so the information is slightly outdated.
For more details on Water Corporation findings, visit the website.
WAFIC would like to send a big thank you to those fishers who have provided feedback on this project. Any commercial fishers who would like additional feedback or comments, or may like to receive a briefing from Water Corporation, please contact [email protected] or call WAFIC on 9432 7777.
Onslow Seawater Desalination Plant
Water Corporation is currently constructing a seawater desalination plant to supply drinking water in Onslow. The desalination processing facility will be located in Beadon Bay and the seawater intake and brine wastewater release, will occur approximately 1 km seaward from the shoreline.
The project involves the installation of permanent subtidal infrastructure in Beadon Bay (intake head, brine diffusers and transport pipes), a land-based processing plant, and piping to the existing town storage tanks.
Early site work commenced in July 2024 and the onshore processing plant and pipelines are currently under construction. At this stage, construction of the marine pipelines is expected to start in 2025. These pipelines will be below the ground and their location will be added to navigational charts for mariners.
WAFIC has been in correspondence with Water Corporation regarding this desalination plant and has requested a fact sheet to distribute to relevant fishers so they can be informed on the marine construction stage of the project.
If you have any comments/questions regarding this project or would like to get in touch with Water Corporation, please contact [email protected]. More details of the project is available on Water Corporation website here.
Alkimos Seawater Desalination Plant
Water Corporation is currently constructing the Alkimos Seawater Desalination Plant (ASDP) as part of Perth’s Integrated Water Supply Scheme which aims to provide additional sources of drinking water to supplement the existing metropolitan water supply.
The ASDP Proposal will be located within the Alkimos Water Precinct, approximately 40 km north of the Perth, within the northwest corridor, north of Quinns Rock beach and south of Yanchep beach.
The project requires the installation of two seawater intakes and two seawater return outlets (approximately 4 km offshore) to discharge the brine back into the marine environment. The marine construction phase of this project is due to commence around April 2025.
Water Corporation have recently advised WAFIC that they are currently undertaking diving surveys 1-2nm offshore of Alkimos Beach (12/11/24- 24/11/24) which will inform the marine construction phase of the Alkimos Seawater Desalination Plant. WAFIC has notified relevant licence holders of this activity.
WAFIC has participated in the Community Reference Panel that aims to provide Alkimos residents and relevant stakeholders with opportunities to engage in two-way consultation. The panel’s first meeting was held in July 2023 and has been held quarterly to keep resident and stakeholders informed as the project progresses. The next meeting will involve a marine construction works update and discussions around the impacts of construction and operation of the plant on the marine environment. WAFIC will be requesting a fact sheet from Water Corporation to distribute to relevant fishers so they can be informed on the marine construction stage of the project.
If you have any comments/questions regarding this project or would like to get in touch with Water Corporation, please contact [email protected]. More details of the project is available on Water Corporation website here.
Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) – Proposals
Cambridge Gulf Marine Sand Proposal
Boskalis Australia is proposing to source marine sands from Cambridge Gulf, north of Wyndham, for export to overseas construction projects.
The proposal is vessel based with life span of up to 15 years and will involve a Sand Production Vessel and a large Trailer Suction Hopper Dredger. The operational area is 100 km2 in the central part of Cambridge Gulf and is proposed to export up to 70 million m3 sand over the 15-year project time frame.
The EPA opened this proposal to public comment on the 01/10/24 – 07/10/24, in which WAFIC made a submission. Given the impacts of dredging on the marine environment and the sheer scale of the project WAFICs preferred option for decision by EPA is Assess – Public environmental review, which is the most extensive review option.
WAFIC will be keeping a watching brief on the EPAs decision, in the meantime if you have any comments/questions regarding this project, please contact [email protected].
Western Green Energy Hub Proposal
The Western Green Energy Hub is a proposal to design, construct and operate a large-scale wind and solar power project for green ammonia production. The proposal is located within a 2,269,015 ha development envelope extending from the far southeast of Western Australia in the Shire of Dundas and City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, to the northwest of Eucla in the South Coast Region. The coastal and offshore components comprise a marine offloading facility, desalination plant, brine pipeline and an ammonia (or other vector) export pipeline, set within State Waters only, requiring 198 ha of permanent seabed clearance.
The EPA opened this proposal to public comment on the 11/11/24 – 17/11/24, in which WAFIC made a submission. Given the scale of impact from a potential ammonia spill, as well as the effects of desalination and other associated marine infrastructure associated with this project on south coast commercial fisheries and the marine environment, WAFICs preferred option for decision by EPA is Assess – Public environmental review, which is the most extensive review option.
WAFIC will be keeping a watching brief on the EPAs decision, in the meantime if you have any comments/questions regarding this project, please contact [email protected].
Ashburton Salt Proposal
K + S Salt Australia is seeking approval by the EPA to construct and operate a 3.5 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) Solar Salt Project located approximately 40 km south-west of Onslow.
This project is proposed on salt flats that form an integral part of the wetland ecosystem and land unit supporting algal mats and mangroves which underpin the productivity of Exmouth Gulf and provide critical feeding and nursery habitat for aquatic resources.
In November 2016 the EPA had determined that the project required environmental assessment and in January 2018, the EPA approved an environmental scoping document submitted by the proponent which defines the scope and form of work to be completed, indicative timing and the procedure to complete the environmental review of the project. The proponent then submitted an environmental review document to the EPA in May 2023 for public review in which WAFIC made a detailed submission highlighting the consultation issues and environmental concerns associated with this project.
WAFIC received a briefing from K+S Salt in September 2024 regarding a project update, in which the proponent informed WAFIC they are still working through the submissions they received from the public review and are expecting additional environmental studies and assessments to be conducted.
WAFIC will be keeping a watching brief on this project, in the meantime if you have any comments/questions regarding this project, please contact [email protected].
Murchison Hydrogen Proposal
The Murchison Hydrogen proposal is located within the Shire of Northampton, approximately 20 km north of Kalbarri and includes the following major components; a wind and solar farm, desalination plant, a Power-to-X facility that will be used to produce green ammonia and an ammonia export facility including pipeline and export vessel mooring and product transfer infrastructure.
In May 2022 the EPA had determined that the project required environmental assessment in August 2024, the EPA approved an environmental scoping document submitted by the project which defines the scope and form of work to be completed, indicative timing and the procedure to complete the environmental review of the project. The project is expected to submit this work, in an environmental review document (ERD), to the EPA in December 2024. After the EPA approve the ERD for consultation, the ERD will be open for public comment for four weeks. This is expected to be during January 2025.
Given the scale of impact from a potential ammonia spill, as well as the effects of desalination and other associated marine infrastructure associated with this project on commercial fisheries and the marine environment, WAFIC will be making a submission in response to the ERD once it is released for comment.
The Murchison Hydrogen proposal has been awarded major project status by the Federal Minister for Industry and Science, a status which enables projects facing complex regulatory challenges to get extra support and coordinated approvals.
The Project have been conducting information webinars, in which WAFIC has been attending on behalf of industry. These webinars have been recorded and available on their website. Murchison Hydrogen is also inviting all community members in Kalbarri and surrounding areas to book a one-on-one consultation session with Project representatives. These sessions are being held in the first week of December 2024 (Kalbarri) and will provide community members the opportunity to ask questions and provide comment/feedback in person. If you are interested in these sessions, a booking is required online here.
WAFIC will be keeping a watching brief on this project, in the meantime if you have any comments/questions regarding this project, please contact [email protected].