❓ Mr. Redman questions the Denmark scheme water supply, querying usage, costs, and decisions around water sources. The Minister provides data on water volumes, consumption, and costs, explaining the rationale behind decisions and the non-use of reverse osmosis.
AnsweredQoN 5501Legislative Assembly
Asked
24 September 2019
Member
Portfolio
Water; Fisheries; Forestry; Innovation and ICT; Science
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Denmark scheme water supply, and ask: (a) In each of the last 5 years how much of Denmark’s scheme consumption has come from the Denmark river supply source and how much from the Quickup dam supply source; (b) In each of the last 5 years what has been the water consumption of the Denmark community, in total and per capita; (c) In each of the last 5 years how much water has been processed in the newly constructed reverse osmosis facility and pumped back to the Quickup dam for storage; (d) What is the Minister's estimation in percentage terms, of the contribution the Denmark River is making to Denmark’s scheme water supply; (e) I note, as at 11 September, the Denmark River dam is at capacity, and ask why it is not being fully utilised as a source for the Denmark Community; (f) Can the Minister explain why a decision was made for a new water source for Denmark despite the Water Corporation's website showing, as at 11 September, the Denmark River dam being full and the Quickup dam at just over 60% capacity; (g) Currently, what is the cost per kilolitre to process and distribute water into the Denmark Scheme from the Denmark and Quickup dams; (h) In each of the last 5 years, how often has the reverse osmosis facility been used, and where is the brine waste disposed; and (i) What is the estimated amortised cost per kilolitre to deliver water into the Denmark scheme through the recently announced pipeline from Albany?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
10 December 2019
Responded by
Minister for Water; Fisheries; Forestry; Innovation and ICT; Science
Response time
18 days
(a) The volumes of water pumped back from Denmark Dam to Quickup Dam and from Quickup Dam to the Denmark Water Treatment Plant are listed in the table below. Due to the operational configuration of the scheme, such as the pumpback arrangement, it is difficult to calculate how much of Denmark’s consumption has come from Denmark Dam and how much has come from Quickup Dam.
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019 1
Volume of Water Pumped from Denmark Dam to Quickup Dam (kL)
95,656
216,936
51,494
277,146
261,366
Volume of Water Pumped from Quickup Dam to Denmark Water Treatment Plant (kL)
372,480
455,340
531,350
531,850
352,130
Note 1: to 30 September 2019. Due to operational configurations some of the water listed against Quickup Dam may be from Denmark Dam.
(b)
2014/15
2015/16
2016/17
2017/18
2018/19
Total Consumption (kL)
373,237
351,143
357,307
382,634
364,778
Total Consumption per Person Estimate (kL)
90
82
83
87
82
(c) The reverse osmosis units have not been used in the last five years. The units were purchased in 2009 and 2015 under a Liberal National Government and were never used in Denmark. The reverse osmosis units can only be used when there are sufficient flows in the Denmark River and the restrictive options for the disposal of brine waste further prevent their use. The units are not designed to be a long term primary source - they are a temporary measure that can be used during periods when the normal supply is poor.
(d) The contribution Denmark Dam is making to Denmark’s scheme water supply varies from year to year due to natural inflow to Quickup Dam and is difficult to calculate due to the operational configuration of the scheme. In the last five years, it is estimated that the contribution could be as low as 10% (in 2017) and as high as 55% (in 2018).
(e) Denmark Dam is currently being fully utilised as a source for the Denmark community via a number of operational configurations including the pump back arrangement, while maintaining environmental water requirements.
(f) Denmark has experienced some of its driest years on record in recent years, with 2014 and 2015 recording two of the three lowest annual rainfalls on record. Water Corporation continued its long term planning which is consistent with Water Forever: Lower Great Southern 2010.
In late December 2014, Stage 5 water restrictions were implemented in Denmark when Quickup Dam was at 54 per cent capacity.
At the end of July 2019, Quickup Dam was at 446,100 kilolitres (or 38% capacity) and with the forecast of continuing dry conditions across the south of the State, Water Corporation assessed options to reduce the risk of supply shortage to Denmark.
Water Corporation can only take from the Denmark Dam when it’s overflowing and water quality is suitable. Supplementing Quickup Dam water from Denmark Dam had commenced in early July 2019, although it was at a reduced volume on advice from Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) for environmental reasons. To ensure security of supply, a request for an increase in the volume was sought (and subsequently received) from DWER; a Waterwise Towns Program was developed for commencement on 1 October 2019 and plans to cart water from Albany and implement Stage 5 Water restrictions were also developed. In addition, the ability to accelerate the delivery of the long-term solution was assessed and the pipeline connection to the LGSTWSS was brought forward.
(g) The total cost in 2018-19 of delivering water to customers in the Denmark Water Scheme is $25.39/kL.
(h) The reserve osmosis unit has not been used in the last 5 years so no brine waste has been disposed.
(i) The estimated cost per kilolitre to deliver water is up to $8.08/kL.
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019 1
Volume of Water Pumped from Denmark Dam to Quickup Dam (kL)
95,656
216,936
51,494
277,146
261,366
Volume of Water Pumped from Quickup Dam to Denmark Water Treatment Plant (kL)
372,480
455,340
531,350
531,850
352,130
Note 1: to 30 September 2019. Due to operational configurations some of the water listed against Quickup Dam may be from Denmark Dam.
(b)
2014/15
2015/16
2016/17
2017/18
2018/19
Total Consumption (kL)
373,237
351,143
357,307
382,634
364,778
Total Consumption per Person Estimate (kL)
90
82
83
87
82
(c) The reverse osmosis units have not been used in the last five years. The units were purchased in 2009 and 2015 under a Liberal National Government and were never used in Denmark. The reverse osmosis units can only be used when there are sufficient flows in the Denmark River and the restrictive options for the disposal of brine waste further prevent their use. The units are not designed to be a long term primary source - they are a temporary measure that can be used during periods when the normal supply is poor.
(d) The contribution Denmark Dam is making to Denmark’s scheme water supply varies from year to year due to natural inflow to Quickup Dam and is difficult to calculate due to the operational configuration of the scheme. In the last five years, it is estimated that the contribution could be as low as 10% (in 2017) and as high as 55% (in 2018).
(e) Denmark Dam is currently being fully utilised as a source for the Denmark community via a number of operational configurations including the pump back arrangement, while maintaining environmental water requirements.
(f) Denmark has experienced some of its driest years on record in recent years, with 2014 and 2015 recording two of the three lowest annual rainfalls on record. Water Corporation continued its long term planning which is consistent with Water Forever: Lower Great Southern 2010.
In late December 2014, Stage 5 water restrictions were implemented in Denmark when Quickup Dam was at 54 per cent capacity.
At the end of July 2019, Quickup Dam was at 446,100 kilolitres (or 38% capacity) and with the forecast of continuing dry conditions across the south of the State, Water Corporation assessed options to reduce the risk of supply shortage to Denmark.
Water Corporation can only take from the Denmark Dam when it’s overflowing and water quality is suitable. Supplementing Quickup Dam water from Denmark Dam had commenced in early July 2019, although it was at a reduced volume on advice from Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) for environmental reasons. To ensure security of supply, a request for an increase in the volume was sought (and subsequently received) from DWER; a Waterwise Towns Program was developed for commencement on 1 October 2019 and plans to cart water from Albany and implement Stage 5 Water restrictions were also developed. In addition, the ability to accelerate the delivery of the long-term solution was assessed and the pipeline connection to the LGSTWSS was brought forward.
(g) The total cost in 2018-19 of delivering water to customers in the Denmark Water Scheme is $25.39/kL.
(h) The reserve osmosis unit has not been used in the last 5 years so no brine waste has been disposed.
(i) The estimated cost per kilolitre to deliver water is up to $8.08/kL.
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