❓ Hon. Moore questions the Water Corporation's limited use of underground water reserves given their abundance and replenishment rate, suggesting a reconsideration of water restrictions and desalination. Hon. Griffiths acknowledges the issue, stating the Water Corporation is extracting the maximum amount of water allowed under its license and is exploring various water supply options.
AnsweredQoN 1033Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
UNDERGROUND WATER, UTILISATION
Perth’s annual water consumption is approximately 300 gigalitres. Approximately half of that is provided by underground sources. Perth’s underground reserves contain 413 000 gigalitres, which, according to the current rate of consumption, should be sufficient for 2 700 years. The replenishment rate of the underground aquifers is 600 gigalitres a year, which is four times the current annual consumption. The current water restrictions will save 45 gigalitres a year, which is one-thirteenth of the annual replenishment rate of our underground aquifers. Given this scenario, why does the Water Corporation not utilise more of our underground water resources rather than continue with water restrictions and contemplate the provision of very expensive desalinated seawater? Hon N.D. GRIFFITHS
Perth’s annual water consumption is approximately 300 gigalitres. Approximately half of that is provided by underground sources. Perth’s underground reserves contain 413 000 gigalitres, which, according to the current rate of consumption, should be sufficient for 2 700 years. The replenishment rate of the underground aquifers is 600 gigalitres a year, which is four times the current annual consumption. The current water restrictions will save 45 gigalitres a year, which is one-thirteenth of the annual replenishment rate of our underground aquifers. Given this scenario, why does the Water Corporation not utilise more of our underground water resources rather than continue with water restrictions and contemplate the provision of very expensive desalinated seawater? Hon N.D. GRIFFITHS
AnswerView source ↗
I am pleased that the Leader of the Opposition has raised this important issue. A number of his colleagues have raised the issue of Perth’s water supplies on a number of occasions during the past year and I am grateful to them also. I am interested in the figures contained in the scenario painted by the Leader of the Opposition, and I will ask the Water Corporation to closely look at them and provide me with appropriate advice. The Water Corporation extracts underground water under licence from the Water and Rivers Commission. The Water Corporation is extracting the maximum amount of water that is specified in the terms of the licence imposed by the Water and Rivers Commission. It is the responsibility of the Water and Rivers Commission to regulate the extraction of underground water. I would like to relate to the Leader of the Opposition some facts that he should bear in mind when contemplating any further questions - which I welcome. The Government, through the Water Corporation, is actively examining a number of options for the provision of not only Perth’s water supply but also water supplies in other parts of the State of Western Australia. The situation relating to the metropolitan area’s water supply is very serious, and is being treated as such. It should be noted that Mundaring Weir, which is located in the metropolitan area, provides significant quantities of water to the agricultural region and is piped to Kalgoorlie. In round figures, 85 per cent of the water that goes from Mundaring Weir to those areas comes from bore water from our northern suburbs. The remaining 15 per cent is run-off. That provides an illustration of the importance of this State continuing its metropolitan and non-metropolitan partnership. The final solution to water - I use the term advisedly - is still under consideration. I will quickly make some points about the aquifers - I am conscious that some twenty-fifth anniversary celebrations will occur in due course. I am advised that Perth’s underground water supplies come from a series of aquifers: the shallow aquifer, which is estimated to be 70 to 200 metres deep; the Leederville aquifer, which is estimated to be 200 to 500 metres deep; and the Yarragadee aquifer, which is estimated to be more than 700 metres deep. That water is extracted under licence. The current licensing arrangement with the Water and Rivers Commission allows for 158 gigalitres to be extracted each year. The figures presented by the Leader of the Opposition in his scenario are very interesting, and I will give them further consideration.
Hon N.D. GRIFFITHS replied: I am pleased that the Leader of the Opposition has raised this important issue. A number of his colleagues have raised the issue of Perth’s water supplies on a number of occasions during the past year and I am grateful to them also. I am interested in the figures contained in the scenario painted by the Leader of the Opposition, and I will ask the Water Corporation to closely look at them and provide me with appropriate advice. The Water Corporation extracts underground water under licence from the Water and Rivers Commission. The Water Corporation is extracting the maximum amount of water that is specified in the terms of the licence imposed by the Water and Rivers Commission. It is the responsibility of the Water and Rivers Commission to regulate the extraction of underground water. I would like to relate to the Leader of the Opposition some facts that he should bear in mind when contemplating any further questions - which I welcome. The Government, through the Water Corporation, is actively examining a number of options for the provision of not only Perth’s water supply but also water supplies in other parts of the State of Western Australia. The situation relating to the metropolitan area’s water supply is very serious, and is being treated as such. It should be noted that Mundaring Weir, which is located in the metropolitan area, provides significant quantities of water to the agricultural region and is piped to Kalgoorlie. In round figures, 85 per cent of the water that goes from Mundaring Weir to those areas comes from bore water from our northern suburbs. The remaining 15 per cent is run-off. That provides an illustration of the importance of this State continuing its metropolitan and non-metropolitan partnership. The final solution to water - I use the term advisedly - is still under consideration. I will quickly make some points about the aquifers - I am conscious that some twenty-fifth anniversary celebrations will occur in due course. I am advised that Perth’s underground water supplies come from a series of aquifers: the shallow aquifer, which is estimated to be 70 to 200 metres deep; the Leederville aquifer, which is estimated to be 200 to 500 metres deep; and the Yarragadee aquifer, which is estimated to be more than 700 metres deep. That water is extracted under licence. The current licensing arrangement with the Water and Rivers Commission allows for 158 gigalitres to be extracted each year. The figures presented by the Leader of the Opposition in his scenario are very interesting, and I will give them further consideration.
I am pleased that the Leader of the Opposition has raised this important issue. A number of his colleagues have raised the issue of Perth’s water supplies on a number of occasions during the past year and I am grateful to them also. I am interested in the figures contained in the scenario painted by the Leader of the Opposition, and I will ask the Water Corporation to closely look at them and provide me with appropriate advice. The Water Corporation extracts underground water under licence from the Water and Rivers Commission. The Water Corporation is extracting the maximum amount of water that is specified in the terms of the licence imposed by the Water and Rivers Commission. It is the responsibility of the Water and Rivers Commission to regulate the extraction of underground water. I would like to relate to the Leader of the Opposition some facts that he should bear in mind when contemplating any further questions - which I welcome. The Government, through the Water Corporation, is actively examining a number of options for the provision of not only Perth’s water supply but also water supplies in other parts of the State of Western Australia. The situation relating to the metropolitan area’s water supply is very serious, and is being treated as such. It should be noted that Mundaring Weir, which is located in the metropolitan area, provides significant quantities of water to the agricultural region and is piped to Kalgoorlie. In round figures, 85 per cent of the water that goes from Mundaring Weir to those areas comes from bore water from our northern suburbs. The remaining 15 per cent is run-off. That provides an illustration of the importance of this State continuing its metropolitan and non-metropolitan partnership. The final solution to water - I use the term advisedly - is still under consideration. I will quickly make some points about the aquifers - I am conscious that some twenty-fifth anniversary celebrations will occur in due course. I am advised that Perth’s underground water supplies come from a series of aquifers: the shallow aquifer, which is estimated to be 70 to 200 metres deep; the Leederville aquifer, which is estimated to be 200 to 500 metres deep; and the Yarragadee aquifer, which is estimated to be more than 700 metres deep. That water is extracted under licence. The current licensing arrangement with the Water and Rivers Commission allows for 158 gigalitres to be extracted each year. The figures presented by the Leader of the Opposition in his scenario are very interesting, and I will give them further consideration.
The final solution to water - I use the term advisedly - is still under consideration. I will quickly make some points about the aquifers - I am conscious that some twenty-fifth anniversary celebrations will occur in due course. I am advised that Perth’s underground water supplies come from a series of aquifers: the shallow aquifer, which is estimated to be 70 to 200 metres deep; the Leederville aquifer, which is estimated to be 200 to 500 metres deep; and the Yarragadee aquifer, which is estimated to be more than 700 metres deep. That water is extracted under licence. The current licensing arrangement with the Water and Rivers Commission allows for 158 gigalitres to be extracted each year. The figures presented by the Leader of the Opposition in his scenario are very interesting, and I will give them further consideration.
The figures presented by the Leader of the Opposition in his scenario are very interesting, and I will give them further consideration.
Hon N.D. GRIFFITHS replied: I am pleased that the Leader of the Opposition has raised this important issue. A number of his colleagues have raised the issue of Perth’s water supplies on a number of occasions during the past year and I am grateful to them also. I am interested in the figures contained in the scenario painted by the Leader of the Opposition, and I will ask the Water Corporation to closely look at them and provide me with appropriate advice. The Water Corporation extracts underground water under licence from the Water and Rivers Commission. The Water Corporation is extracting the maximum amount of water that is specified in the terms of the licence imposed by the Water and Rivers Commission. It is the responsibility of the Water and Rivers Commission to regulate the extraction of underground water. I would like to relate to the Leader of the Opposition some facts that he should bear in mind when contemplating any further questions - which I welcome. The Government, through the Water Corporation, is actively examining a number of options for the provision of not only Perth’s water supply but also water supplies in other parts of the State of Western Australia. The situation relating to the metropolitan area’s water supply is very serious, and is being treated as such. It should be noted that Mundaring Weir, which is located in the metropolitan area, provides significant quantities of water to the agricultural region and is piped to Kalgoorlie. In round figures, 85 per cent of the water that goes from Mundaring Weir to those areas comes from bore water from our northern suburbs. The remaining 15 per cent is run-off. That provides an illustration of the importance of this State continuing its metropolitan and non-metropolitan partnership. The final solution to water - I use the term advisedly - is still under consideration. I will quickly make some points about the aquifers - I am conscious that some twenty-fifth anniversary celebrations will occur in due course. I am advised that Perth’s underground water supplies come from a series of aquifers: the shallow aquifer, which is estimated to be 70 to 200 metres deep; the Leederville aquifer, which is estimated to be 200 to 500 metres deep; and the Yarragadee aquifer, which is estimated to be more than 700 metres deep. That water is extracted under licence. The current licensing arrangement with the Water and Rivers Commission allows for 158 gigalitres to be extracted each year. The figures presented by the Leader of the Opposition in his scenario are very interesting, and I will give them further consideration.
I am pleased that the Leader of the Opposition has raised this important issue. A number of his colleagues have raised the issue of Perth’s water supplies on a number of occasions during the past year and I am grateful to them also. I am interested in the figures contained in the scenario painted by the Leader of the Opposition, and I will ask the Water Corporation to closely look at them and provide me with appropriate advice. The Water Corporation extracts underground water under licence from the Water and Rivers Commission. The Water Corporation is extracting the maximum amount of water that is specified in the terms of the licence imposed by the Water and Rivers Commission. It is the responsibility of the Water and Rivers Commission to regulate the extraction of underground water. I would like to relate to the Leader of the Opposition some facts that he should bear in mind when contemplating any further questions - which I welcome. The Government, through the Water Corporation, is actively examining a number of options for the provision of not only Perth’s water supply but also water supplies in other parts of the State of Western Australia. The situation relating to the metropolitan area’s water supply is very serious, and is being treated as such. It should be noted that Mundaring Weir, which is located in the metropolitan area, provides significant quantities of water to the agricultural region and is piped to Kalgoorlie. In round figures, 85 per cent of the water that goes from Mundaring Weir to those areas comes from bore water from our northern suburbs. The remaining 15 per cent is run-off. That provides an illustration of the importance of this State continuing its metropolitan and non-metropolitan partnership. The final solution to water - I use the term advisedly - is still under consideration. I will quickly make some points about the aquifers - I am conscious that some twenty-fifth anniversary celebrations will occur in due course. I am advised that Perth’s underground water supplies come from a series of aquifers: the shallow aquifer, which is estimated to be 70 to 200 metres deep; the Leederville aquifer, which is estimated to be 200 to 500 metres deep; and the Yarragadee aquifer, which is estimated to be more than 700 metres deep. That water is extracted under licence. The current licensing arrangement with the Water and Rivers Commission allows for 158 gigalitres to be extracted each year. The figures presented by the Leader of the Opposition in his scenario are very interesting, and I will give them further consideration.
The final solution to water - I use the term advisedly - is still under consideration. I will quickly make some points about the aquifers - I am conscious that some twenty-fifth anniversary celebrations will occur in due course. I am advised that Perth’s underground water supplies come from a series of aquifers: the shallow aquifer, which is estimated to be 70 to 200 metres deep; the Leederville aquifer, which is estimated to be 200 to 500 metres deep; and the Yarragadee aquifer, which is estimated to be more than 700 metres deep. That water is extracted under licence. The current licensing arrangement with the Water and Rivers Commission allows for 158 gigalitres to be extracted each year. The figures presented by the Leader of the Opposition in his scenario are very interesting, and I will give them further consideration.
The figures presented by the Leader of the Opposition in his scenario are very interesting, and I will give them further consideration.
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