Brunswick Dam must be rejected

Greens (WA) MP Alison Xamon has called on the Minister for Water Graham Jacobs to immediately reject the proposal by Southern Cross Water Infrastructure Company to dam the Brunswick River.  The Minister has previously rejected plans by the Water Corporation to dam the Styx and Denmark Rivers on the south coast. 

“The Minister must be congratulated for his quick and positive decision making with regard to the Denmark and Styx Rivers on the South Coast.  Now he must show consistency and do the same for the Brunswick River proposal.”

“The Minister answered my question in Parliament today by recognising the SCWIC proposal is not consistent with the Government’s long term vision for water supplies to the Integrated Water Supply System.”

“Climate change is already impacting on the south west rivers and Perth’s drinking water supply dams.  The Water Corporation have realised this and have identified climate independent sources as the long term future for water supply – including much more water recycling.”

The proposal as submitted by SCWIC involves an enormous amount of coordination with existing Water Corporation assets in order to be integrated.  “It comes as quite a shock to the Greens that Southern Cross Water Infrastructure Company have not approached the Water Corporation to advise them that the proposal was being forwarded for environmental assessment by the Federal Government.”

“WA does not need any more marginal surface water catchments that rely on massive amounts of energy to pump water.  We have enough and we must start recycling more water for industry, for irrigation for public open space and for drinking water.”

The web address for the referred proposal to the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and Arts is:

www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/epbc/epbc_ap.pl?name=current_referral_detail&proposal_id=5186