THE Water Corporation could be forced to modify aspects of its $350 million desalination plant at Kwinana to take account of a new port project planned by Fremantle Ports.
THE Water Corporation could be forced to modify aspects of its $350 million desalination plant at Kwinana to take account of a new port project planned by Fremantle Ports.
It is intending to conduct “intensive modelling” early next year in collaboration with Fremantle Ports to establish any possible impacts from the port proposal, including from dredging in Cockburn Sound.
This planning challenge comes on top of environmental concerns surrounding the desalination plant, which was formally announced by Premier Geoff Gallop back in July.
At the time Dr Gallop said work on the $350 million project would “begin immediately” and that it would be complete in 2006.
The Water Corporation is sticking with that timeframe yet it is understood to be still evaluating key aspects of the project.
It faces a complicated planning task because Fremantle Ports has released four options for its island port and is not expected to make a final decision for a further three or four years.
In the meantime, the Water Corporation will have to select the optimum location for its 300-metre long intake pipeline and its 800-metre long discharge pipeline.
The area already requires extensive dredging and is expected to attract increased shipping, which will require even more dredging.
The issues facing the Water Corporation are an example of the complex planning requirements associated with industrial develop-ment in Kwinana.
Another issue is the potential overlap between the Fremantle Ports project and a competing private port planned by James Point Pty Ltd, a company part-owned by BGC boss Len Buckeridge, as reported in last week’s WA Business News.
Adding to the complex planning mix is the recent construction of Rio Tinto’s HIsmelt pig iron plant and the possible construction of another power station.
All of these projects are in close proximity, although the offshore issues could be the biggest problem facing the desalination plant, which is designed to increase Perth’s annual water supply by 45 gigalitres, or 17 per cent.
The Water Corporation says it has studied the James Point port project and has concluded there are no issues, but is less conclusive in relation to the Fremantle Ports proposal.
“The corporation has taken into account as much as possible the port authority’s proposals and has sited the pipelines [intake and outlet] based on the best information available, given that the proposals could eventuate up to 10 years from now,” a spokesman said.
He said the corporation “is confident there are engineering solutions to accommodate any circumstances”.
In particular, he said that shifting the intake and outlet pipes would be “a relatively minor cost”, should it be necessary.
The spokesman also said the pipelines would not cross the Calista shipping channel, contrary to industry speculation.
Meanwhile, James Point chairman Hans Moonen said he expected the WA Planning Comm-ission to consider amendments to the Metropolitan Region Scheme for his project when it next met on December 14. He hopes the committee will recommend that planning amendments, to rezone part of the project area to general industry use, be advertised for public comment.
Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan will have the final say on whether the amendments should be advertised.
The planning approval process is expected to take about two years, and follows the recent granting of environmental approval after four years of detailed assessment.
James Point’s environmental approvals include conditions to ensure its operations do not adver-sely affect the desalination plant.
