Water Corporation opts for Nanarup over Sandpatch for desalination plant despite vehement local opposition

Nanarup has been chosen as the venue for a “small-scale” desalination plant aimed at meeting Albany’s growing demand for water. The Water Corporation had been mulling over two possible hosts for the site — Sandpatch being the other — but has opted for Nanarup, a decision which will not be welcomed by residents who have voiced strong opposition to the plan. WA Minister for Water Don Punch formally announced the choice on Tuesday following a public meeting at the Lower Kalgan Hall on Monday evening. A statement from his office said planning for a new water source had begun in 2009, with seven potential locations identified between Walpole in the west and areas 50km east of Albany. It added climate-resilient seawater was the only option which would meet long-term demand, and the plant would deliver an initial three billion litres a year of drinking water to Albany, Mt Barker, Kendenup and Narrikup. Mr Punch said Nanarup had been selected because it stacked up best against the Water Corporation’s six criteria — social, environmental, technical, delivery and operation, economic, and regulatory — all of which were given equal weight. Sandpatch was ruled out because of its complex geography and challenging ocean conditions which would make construction and maintenance unsafe. “The Cook Government is securing the Great Southern’s water future in a drying climate, ensuring communities and industries have the confidence to plan and grow,” Mr Punch said. “This will be a small facility but the positive effect on Albany and the Great Southern’s opportunities, environment, investment and living standards will be immense over coming decades.” Labor MLC Samantha Rowe said minimising the plant’s environmental impact was important. “A key focus of developing any desalination plant is to minimise its environmental and social impact,” she said. “At Nanarup, we do not anticipate any permanent change to beach access nor loss of recreational or tourism value, so people will be able to continue enjoying all that the beach offers.” Members of the Nanarup community and beyond have been battling against the plant for months, citing concerns over its size and noise, its impact on the beach, and how the brine removed in the process would be fed back into the ocean. A community petition against using Nanarup as the site has gathered 2000 signatures. Friends of Nanarup member Ainslie Mason said Albany MLA Scott Leary was due to present a parliamentary e-petition to the State Government. At a public meeting in December, Water Corporation Great Southern regional manager Adrian Stewart said the plant would not adversely affect the community. He said the on-land facility would likely be 200m from the shoreline and the company was proposing to use horizontal directional drilling to install a pipeline under the seabed. Mr Stewart said the beach would be closed “briefly” while the corporation drilled underneath it. The corporation’s view is the Lower Great Southern will need an extra 1.8 billion litres of water a year by 2050 and, because of climate change, traditional sources like rain and groundwater will be insufficient by 2030. The choice of venue has come ahead of full, site-specific investigations which will include marine, geotechnical, and seabed studies, which are set to begin now. Opponents have said the corporation’s data so far has come primarily through desktop research and modelling, and that the organisation’s consultancy group has not included people from Nanarup itself. They add that the beach is a popular beauty spot and is a vital amenity. According to its website, the Water Corporation’s time line for the plant includes two years of public engagement on the site and pipeline route, with the design concept for infrastructure to be completed by the end of 2027. It expects to be seeking environmental approvals between 2026 and 2028 with construction to take place between 2028 and 2030. An earlier proposal to locate the plant in King George Sound was scrapped after months of advocacy by the community and a pledge by Premier Roger Cook that additional water “can’t come at the expense of Albany’s unique and pristine environment”.