❓ Question regarding the Water for Food Myalup-Wellington project, specifically the federal government's $1 million investment and the project's objectives. The Minister explains the project aims to reduce salinity in Wellington Dam and increase productivity in irrigation districts.
AnsweredQoN 355Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WATER FOR
FOOD — MYALUP–WELLINGTON PROJECT
355. Mr M.J. COWPER to the Minister for
Water:
I understand that the significant
state government investment into the Water for Food Myalup–Wellington
project has been supplemented by the federal government to the tune of about $1
million. Good work! Can the minister please explain what the project is about?
FOOD — MYALUP–WELLINGTON PROJECT
355. Mr M.J. COWPER to the Minister for
Water:
I understand that the significant
state government investment into the Water for Food Myalup–Wellington
project has been supplemented by the federal government to the tune of about $1
million. Good work! Can the minister please explain what the project is about?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question
and his interest in the project. The member is correct. Today the commonwealth
announced that the National Water Infrastructure Development Fund will provide
$1 million to support the building up of a feasibility study on a project to
reduce the salinity in Wellington Dam and to significantly increase
productivity in the Myalup and Collie irrigation districts.
Mr
M.P. Murray interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first
time.
Ms
M.J. DAVIES : This funding fits very nicely with the work that we have been
doing on the Myalup Water for Food project that has been funded by royalties
for regions under the Seizing the Opportunity Agriculture initiative. At the
end of last year, we went out to tender as part of the Water for Food project
and asked for expressions of interest from the private sector to deal with
potential solutions to reduce the salinity in Wellington Dam and improve
productivity in the Collie and Myalup irrigation districts. As a result, Harvey
Water, which has been working extraordinarily hard on a project itself to pipe
water under pressure into the Collie irrigation district, formed a partnership
with an organisation called Aqua Ferre. They have been working on a much
broader project that promises to offer benefits beyond what we could deliver
under the Water for Food program. This funding will assist us to build up a feasibility
study and business case, and if we can make it work, we can then seek further funding.
For those members who are unfamiliar with this area, extraordinary constraints
are placed on the growers because of the high salinity of water from Wellington
Dam that is provided by Harvey Water.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I am not going to put up with
this anymore. I call you to order for the second time!
Ms
M.J. DAVIES : The previous work has not been ignored. It has gone into all
the work we have done this far. Unfortunately, when we sent the money back previously,
it was because the cost to deliver the water was not appropriate for its
purpose. As a result of the involvement of Water for Food, we have a broader
project that allows us to add in new elements that could potentially raise
opportunities for not only potable water, but also water fit for purpose for
agriculture and industry. The delivery of a higher quality water in a pressurised
pipeline network from Burekup Weir, which will need to be shifted, through the
grid and into the Myalup horticultural precinct, provides significant
opportunities for growers if we can further diversify the economy in that part
of the state. It is part of the state government's plan to continue to
invest in agriculture and we welcome the investment from the commonwealth government
in this and a number of other projects that have been announced recently across
the entire state.
and his interest in the project. The member is correct. Today the commonwealth
announced that the National Water Infrastructure Development Fund will provide
$1 million to support the building up of a feasibility study on a project to
reduce the salinity in Wellington Dam and to significantly increase
productivity in the Myalup and Collie irrigation districts.
Mr
M.P. Murray interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first
time.
Ms
M.J. DAVIES : This funding fits very nicely with the work that we have been
doing on the Myalup Water for Food project that has been funded by royalties
for regions under the Seizing the Opportunity Agriculture initiative. At the
end of last year, we went out to tender as part of the Water for Food project
and asked for expressions of interest from the private sector to deal with
potential solutions to reduce the salinity in Wellington Dam and improve
productivity in the Collie and Myalup irrigation districts. As a result, Harvey
Water, which has been working extraordinarily hard on a project itself to pipe
water under pressure into the Collie irrigation district, formed a partnership
with an organisation called Aqua Ferre. They have been working on a much
broader project that promises to offer benefits beyond what we could deliver
under the Water for Food program. This funding will assist us to build up a feasibility
study and business case, and if we can make it work, we can then seek further funding.
For those members who are unfamiliar with this area, extraordinary constraints
are placed on the growers because of the high salinity of water from Wellington
Dam that is provided by Harvey Water.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I am not going to put up with
this anymore. I call you to order for the second time!
Ms
M.J. DAVIES : The previous work has not been ignored. It has gone into all
the work we have done this far. Unfortunately, when we sent the money back previously,
it was because the cost to deliver the water was not appropriate for its
purpose. As a result of the involvement of Water for Food, we have a broader
project that allows us to add in new elements that could potentially raise
opportunities for not only potable water, but also water fit for purpose for
agriculture and industry. The delivery of a higher quality water in a pressurised
pipeline network from Burekup Weir, which will need to be shifted, through the
grid and into the Myalup horticultural precinct, provides significant
opportunities for growers if we can further diversify the economy in that part
of the state. It is part of the state government's plan to continue to
invest in agriculture and we welcome the investment from the commonwealth government
in this and a number of other projects that have been announced recently across
the entire state.
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