Collie-Wellington Basin use 'realistic': committee

Water Resources Minister John Kobelke has asked his department to accelerate development of a management plan for the Collie-Wellington Basin, after a State Government-commissioned report found the site was a realistic water source for the future.

The report, tabled in parliament this morning, was from a five-person steering committee appointed last year to analyse the basin.

The report found that the Wellington Dam had potential for water supply, but more work needed to be done on reducing salinity and the likely impact on irrigators.

"The size of the resource coupled with the general decline in the availability of potable water still means that the recovery of the dam and the direction of its water to higher value forms of use deserves a very high priority," the report said.

Mr Kobelke said the report vindicated the Government's decision to build a second desalination plant in Binningup.

"The report confirms that Wellington Dam is not a short term solution to the water shortage currently facing Perth and the south-west but it can be part of supplementing water supplies in the long term," he said.

But Opposition Spokesman for water resources John Day said the Government had failed to take the option seriously, accusing it of playing politics with the issue.

"If this Government had taken the option seriously instead of trying differentiate on the project as a matter of politics, the use of the dam could be well advanced," he said.

The full text of an announcement from the Minister's office is pasted below

The Collie-Wellington Dam could be a future drinking water source but it would be costly and take years to develop, a steering committee investigating the future use for water in the dam has found.

Water Resources Minister Jon Kobelke released the report today, saying the complexity highlighted by the committee of integrating the South-West's biggest dam into the drinking water system vindicated the State Government's decision to build a second desalination plant.

"The steering committee has done an excellent job outlining the possible options for the development of this major water source in the South-West," Mr Kobelke said.

The steering committee found:

• Collie-Wellington Dam is a realistic source of water, but more work needs to be done on salinity recovery, water treatment and water sharing;
• Salinity reduction is key to any improvement in irrigation, providing water to industry, or to develop drinking water. To do this will require substantial expenditure;
• Although there may be some water available from Collie-Wellington for water supply before 2015, it will not take the place of a major new source such as a second desalination plant;
• Using the dam for drinking water would impact on current irrigation allocations and recreational use. These issues would need to be managed; and
• Opportunities exist for both private and public sector involvement in the overall development.

"This water source is not a short-term solution to the increasing impact of a drying climate and growing population and business demand for water," the Minister said.

"But Wellington Dam does have the potential to supplement our water supplies in the longer term and/or to improve water availability for local industry and irrigated agriculture.

"On the basis of the committee's findings and recommendations, I will ask the Department of Water to accelerate the development of the Statutory Water Management Plan for the Collie-Wellington Basin.

"At the same time, I want the department to investigate the potential for a staged development taking account of the needs in the Greater Bunbury area as well as for the Integrated Supply System.

"This work is also necessary to establish the basis on which the private sector could participate in delivering water for drinking or industrial use."

The full text of an announcement from Mr Day's office is pasted below

A Government report tabled today in Parliament has backed a plan by the Opposition to utilise the Wellington Dam as a water source.

Shadow Water Minister John Day said the Opposition has consistently called for the use of the dam, but the proposal has been stymied by the State Government.

"It has taken the Government six years and thousands of dollars to finally accept that what we have been saying is a viable way to go," Mr Day said.

The report stated that despite complexities:

"The size of the resource coupled with the general decline in the availability of potable water still means that the recovery of the dam and the direction of its water to higher value forms of use deserves a very high priority."

"If this Government had taken the option seriously instead of trying to differentiate on the project as a point of politics, the use of the dam could be well advanced," Mr Day said.

"The need for a second desalination plant also may well have been avoided.

"This is yet another example of the Carpenter Government being unable to manage the state. It is failing to capitalize on the economic boom, it cannot manage the health system and this shows it cannot properly plan for WA's future water needs."

Greens MLC Paul Llewellyn called on the Minister for Water Resources today to mobilise National Water Initiative funding to put an immediate focus on the recovery of the upper Collie River catchment and the Wellington Dam.

"The Wellington Dam is the biggest dam in the South West Region and is virtually unusable after years of neglect and procrastination", said Mr Llewellyn.

"Less than 10% of cleared land has been re-planted by the Government since 1976, when clearing bans were first implemented," he said. "We need to take action now."

Mr Llewellyn said revegetation of the upper catchment with tree crops was needed to restore freshwater flows and provide long-term economic stability for farmers.