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WA Provides Desal Insights

A delegation from Bass Coast travelled to Western Australia to inspect Australia’s only large scale operational desalination plant last week. The visit was the third in a series of research trips organised by

By Bass Coast Shire Council - 16th November 2007 - Back to News

Bass Coast Shire Council, to study the impact of desalination plants.

The Bass Coast delegation included Bass Coast Mayor, Cr Neville Goodwin, Cr Veronica Dowman, Council’s Community and Economic Development Director, Richard Perry and Tony Eke from Your Water Your Say action group. Also making the trip was the Managing Director of South Gippsland Water, Steve Evans and Chairman of the Board, Llew Vale, along with and representatives from the Country Fire Authority (CFA).

The Western Australian plant is located in the town of Kwinana, just south of Perth. The plant, which opened in April 2007, is located in the town’s industrial precinct.

The delegation was given a guided tour of the site, by Project Manager, John Stansfield. Mr Stansfield directed the Kwinana project and is heading up the team to build Western Australia’s second desalination plant in Binningup.

Council’s Community and Economic Development Director, Richard Perry, said the visit had been very insightful.

"The Kwinana plant produces 45 gigalitres of water each year and services the Perth Metropolitan area," said Mr Perry.

"This is about one third of the size of the plant proposed for Bass Coast.

"The visit gave us a real insight into the desalination process and how the plants are structured," continued Mr Perry.

"We were also able to assess first hand the visual impact of the plant and the noise it generated. This experience puts us in a more informed position in terms of the site being proposed for our Shire."

The delegation also visited the site of the second proposed desalination plant, located at Binningup approximately 215 km south of Perth.

"The plant proposed for Binningup has greater similarities to the site proposed for Bass Coast," said Mr Perry.

"The plant will be located in a rural, coastal area only 700m from the township of Binningup that has a population of 1000 residents."

The delegation met with the recently formed action group opposing the Binningup plant (Binningup Desal Action Group).

"The action group expressed many of the same concerns as the Your Water Your Say action group," explained Mr Perry.

"They are strongly concerned about the possible environmental implications of desalination along with noise, lighting and visual instrusion together with direct impacts on the coastal environment and marine life.

"The group identified a number of issues, including the lack of housing available during the construction phase," Mr Perry continued.

"They were also very concerned possible effects it may have on their small community which has no police station, schools or any community facility other than a surf life saving club."

A summary report for all three research visits will be presented to Council at the next Meeting on 21 November, at the Cowes Cultural Centre. The report will be available as part of the agenda for the Council meeting which is available from Council’s website from 5pm, Friday 16 November.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: support@gippsland.com

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