❓ A parliamentary question seeks details on Alcoa's water allocations for its Wagerup and Pinjarra refineries, including sources, pumping restrictions, nutrient levels, and water license conditions. The Minister provides specific details on water sources and allocations, pumping restrictions, and tables the water license conditions.
AnsweredQoN 1403Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Can the minister provide details of the quantities and sources of the total water allocation for Alcoa’s refineries at - (a) Wagerup; and (b) Pinjarra? (2) Does the Wagerup refinery take water from the Harvey River and Logue Brook? (3) During what time is Alcoa permitted to pump water from these natural watercourses? (4) How does the Department of Environmental Protection ensure that this water contains significantly elevated nutrient levels? (5) If sample testing is done, what are the results for water pumped this year? (6) Can the minister table the water licence conditions for the Wagerup refinery? Hon TOM STEPHENS
AnswerView source ↗
(1) (a) The Wagerup refinery takes water from both ground water and surface water sources. It is allowed 550 000 kilolitres per annum of ground water and 7 600 000 kilolitres per annum of surface water. (b) Alcoa’s Pinjarra refinery sources water from both ground water and surface water from the Murray River. The licensed allocations of ground water are 2 580 000 kilolitres per annum and for surface water they are 9 000 000 kilolitres per annum. (2) The Wagerup refinery takes water from the Harvey River, Black Tom Brook and Yalup Brook. (3) Pumping from the Harvey River is restricted between May and October. All other sources can be used all year round. (4) The department does not do that. However, pumping between May and October is the most likely period to contain elevated nutrient water. (5) No sampling has been undertaken so far this year. (6) I now table the attached information. [See paper No 1571.]
(b) Pinjarra?
(3) During what time is Alcoa permitted to pump water from these natural watercourses? (4) How does the Department of Environmental Protection ensure that this water contains significantly elevated nutrient levels? (5) If sample testing is done, what are the results for water pumped this year? (6) Can the minister table the water licence conditions for the Wagerup refinery? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1) (a) The Wagerup refinery takes water from both ground water and surface water sources. It is allowed 550 000 kilolitres per annum of ground water and 7 600 000 kilolitres per annum of surface water. (b) Alcoa’s Pinjarra refinery sources water from both ground water and surface water from the Murray River. The licensed allocations of ground water are 2 580 000 kilolitres per annum and for surface water they are 9 000 000 kilolitres per annum. (2) The Wagerup refinery takes water from the Harvey River, Black Tom Brook and Yalup Brook. (3) Pumping from the Harvey River is restricted between May and October. All other sources can be used all year round. (4) The department does not do that. However, pumping between May and October is the most likely period to contain elevated nutrient water. (5) No sampling has been undertaken so far this year. (6) I now table the attached information. [See paper No 1571.]
(4) How does the Department of Environmental Protection ensure that this water contains significantly elevated nutrient levels? (5) If sample testing is done, what are the results for water pumped this year? (6) Can the minister table the water licence conditions for the Wagerup refinery? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1) (a) The Wagerup refinery takes water from both ground water and surface water sources. It is allowed 550 000 kilolitres per annum of ground water and 7 600 000 kilolitres per annum of surface water. (b) Alcoa’s Pinjarra refinery sources water from both ground water and surface water from the Murray River. The licensed allocations of ground water are 2 580 000 kilolitres per annum and for surface water they are 9 000 000 kilolitres per annum. (2) The Wagerup refinery takes water from the Harvey River, Black Tom Brook and Yalup Brook. (3) Pumping from the Harvey River is restricted between May and October. All other sources can be used all year round. (4) The department does not do that. However, pumping between May and October is the most likely period to contain elevated nutrient water. (5) No sampling has been undertaken so far this year. (6) I now table the attached information. [See paper No 1571.]
(5) If sample testing is done, what are the results for water pumped this year? (6) Can the minister table the water licence conditions for the Wagerup refinery? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1) (a) The Wagerup refinery takes water from both ground water and surface water sources. It is allowed 550 000 kilolitres per annum of ground water and 7 600 000 kilolitres per annum of surface water. (b) Alcoa’s Pinjarra refinery sources water from both ground water and surface water from the Murray River. The licensed allocations of ground water are 2 580 000 kilolitres per annum and for surface water they are 9 000 000 kilolitres per annum. (2) The Wagerup refinery takes water from the Harvey River, Black Tom Brook and Yalup Brook. (3) Pumping from the Harvey River is restricted between May and October. All other sources can be used all year round. (4) The department does not do that. However, pumping between May and October is the most likely period to contain elevated nutrient water. (5) No sampling has been undertaken so far this year. (6) I now table the attached information. [See paper No 1571.]
(6) Can the minister table the water licence conditions for the Wagerup refinery? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1) (a) The Wagerup refinery takes water from both ground water and surface water sources. It is allowed 550 000 kilolitres per annum of ground water and 7 600 000 kilolitres per annum of surface water. (b) Alcoa’s Pinjarra refinery sources water from both ground water and surface water from the Murray River. The licensed allocations of ground water are 2 580 000 kilolitres per annum and for surface water they are 9 000 000 kilolitres per annum. (2) The Wagerup refinery takes water from the Harvey River, Black Tom Brook and Yalup Brook. (3) Pumping from the Harvey River is restricted between May and October. All other sources can be used all year round. (4) The department does not do that. However, pumping between May and October is the most likely period to contain elevated nutrient water. (5) No sampling has been undertaken so far this year. (6) I now table the attached information. [See paper No 1571.]
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1) (a) The Wagerup refinery takes water from both ground water and surface water sources. It is allowed 550 000 kilolitres per annum of ground water and 7 600 000 kilolitres per annum of surface water. (b) Alcoa’s Pinjarra refinery sources water from both ground water and surface water from the Murray River. The licensed allocations of ground water are 2 580 000 kilolitres per annum and for surface water they are 9 000 000 kilolitres per annum. (2) The Wagerup refinery takes water from the Harvey River, Black Tom Brook and Yalup Brook. (3) Pumping from the Harvey River is restricted between May and October. All other sources can be used all year round. (4) The department does not do that. However, pumping between May and October is the most likely period to contain elevated nutrient water. (5) No sampling has been undertaken so far this year. (6) I now table the attached information. [See paper No 1571.]
(1) (a) The Wagerup refinery takes water from both ground water and surface water sources. It is allowed 550 000 kilolitres per annum of ground water and 7 600 000 kilolitres per annum of surface water. (b) Alcoa’s Pinjarra refinery sources water from both ground water and surface water from the Murray River. The licensed allocations of ground water are 2 580 000 kilolitres per annum and for surface water they are 9 000 000 kilolitres per annum. (2) The Wagerup refinery takes water from the Harvey River, Black Tom Brook and Yalup Brook. (3) Pumping from the Harvey River is restricted between May and October. All other sources can be used all year round. (4) The department does not do that. However, pumping between May and October is the most likely period to contain elevated nutrient water. (5) No sampling has been undertaken so far this year. (6) I now table the attached information. [See paper No 1571.]
(3) Pumping from the Harvey River is restricted between May and October. All other sources can be used all year round. (4) The department does not do that. However, pumping between May and October is the most likely period to contain elevated nutrient water. (5) No sampling has been undertaken so far this year. (6) I now table the attached information. [See paper No 1571.]
(4) The department does not do that. However, pumping between May and October is the most likely period to contain elevated nutrient water. (5) No sampling has been undertaken so far this year. (6) I now table the attached information. [See paper No 1571.]
(5) No sampling has been undertaken so far this year. (6) I now table the attached information. [See paper No 1571.]
(6) I now table the attached information. [See paper No 1571.]
[See paper No 1571.]
(b) Pinjarra?
(3) During what time is Alcoa permitted to pump water from these natural watercourses? (4) How does the Department of Environmental Protection ensure that this water contains significantly elevated nutrient levels? (5) If sample testing is done, what are the results for water pumped this year? (6) Can the minister table the water licence conditions for the Wagerup refinery? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1) (a) The Wagerup refinery takes water from both ground water and surface water sources. It is allowed 550 000 kilolitres per annum of ground water and 7 600 000 kilolitres per annum of surface water. (b) Alcoa’s Pinjarra refinery sources water from both ground water and surface water from the Murray River. The licensed allocations of ground water are 2 580 000 kilolitres per annum and for surface water they are 9 000 000 kilolitres per annum. (2) The Wagerup refinery takes water from the Harvey River, Black Tom Brook and Yalup Brook. (3) Pumping from the Harvey River is restricted between May and October. All other sources can be used all year round. (4) The department does not do that. However, pumping between May and October is the most likely period to contain elevated nutrient water. (5) No sampling has been undertaken so far this year. (6) I now table the attached information. [See paper No 1571.]
(4) How does the Department of Environmental Protection ensure that this water contains significantly elevated nutrient levels? (5) If sample testing is done, what are the results for water pumped this year? (6) Can the minister table the water licence conditions for the Wagerup refinery? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1) (a) The Wagerup refinery takes water from both ground water and surface water sources. It is allowed 550 000 kilolitres per annum of ground water and 7 600 000 kilolitres per annum of surface water. (b) Alcoa’s Pinjarra refinery sources water from both ground water and surface water from the Murray River. The licensed allocations of ground water are 2 580 000 kilolitres per annum and for surface water they are 9 000 000 kilolitres per annum. (2) The Wagerup refinery takes water from the Harvey River, Black Tom Brook and Yalup Brook. (3) Pumping from the Harvey River is restricted between May and October. All other sources can be used all year round. (4) The department does not do that. However, pumping between May and October is the most likely period to contain elevated nutrient water. (5) No sampling has been undertaken so far this year. (6) I now table the attached information. [See paper No 1571.]
(5) If sample testing is done, what are the results for water pumped this year? (6) Can the minister table the water licence conditions for the Wagerup refinery? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1) (a) The Wagerup refinery takes water from both ground water and surface water sources. It is allowed 550 000 kilolitres per annum of ground water and 7 600 000 kilolitres per annum of surface water. (b) Alcoa’s Pinjarra refinery sources water from both ground water and surface water from the Murray River. The licensed allocations of ground water are 2 580 000 kilolitres per annum and for surface water they are 9 000 000 kilolitres per annum. (2) The Wagerup refinery takes water from the Harvey River, Black Tom Brook and Yalup Brook. (3) Pumping from the Harvey River is restricted between May and October. All other sources can be used all year round. (4) The department does not do that. However, pumping between May and October is the most likely period to contain elevated nutrient water. (5) No sampling has been undertaken so far this year. (6) I now table the attached information. [See paper No 1571.]
(6) Can the minister table the water licence conditions for the Wagerup refinery? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1) (a) The Wagerup refinery takes water from both ground water and surface water sources. It is allowed 550 000 kilolitres per annum of ground water and 7 600 000 kilolitres per annum of surface water. (b) Alcoa’s Pinjarra refinery sources water from both ground water and surface water from the Murray River. The licensed allocations of ground water are 2 580 000 kilolitres per annum and for surface water they are 9 000 000 kilolitres per annum. (2) The Wagerup refinery takes water from the Harvey River, Black Tom Brook and Yalup Brook. (3) Pumping from the Harvey River is restricted between May and October. All other sources can be used all year round. (4) The department does not do that. However, pumping between May and October is the most likely period to contain elevated nutrient water. (5) No sampling has been undertaken so far this year. (6) I now table the attached information. [See paper No 1571.]
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1) (a) The Wagerup refinery takes water from both ground water and surface water sources. It is allowed 550 000 kilolitres per annum of ground water and 7 600 000 kilolitres per annum of surface water. (b) Alcoa’s Pinjarra refinery sources water from both ground water and surface water from the Murray River. The licensed allocations of ground water are 2 580 000 kilolitres per annum and for surface water they are 9 000 000 kilolitres per annum. (2) The Wagerup refinery takes water from the Harvey River, Black Tom Brook and Yalup Brook. (3) Pumping from the Harvey River is restricted between May and October. All other sources can be used all year round. (4) The department does not do that. However, pumping between May and October is the most likely period to contain elevated nutrient water. (5) No sampling has been undertaken so far this year. (6) I now table the attached information. [See paper No 1571.]
(1) (a) The Wagerup refinery takes water from both ground water and surface water sources. It is allowed 550 000 kilolitres per annum of ground water and 7 600 000 kilolitres per annum of surface water. (b) Alcoa’s Pinjarra refinery sources water from both ground water and surface water from the Murray River. The licensed allocations of ground water are 2 580 000 kilolitres per annum and for surface water they are 9 000 000 kilolitres per annum. (2) The Wagerup refinery takes water from the Harvey River, Black Tom Brook and Yalup Brook. (3) Pumping from the Harvey River is restricted between May and October. All other sources can be used all year round. (4) The department does not do that. However, pumping between May and October is the most likely period to contain elevated nutrient water. (5) No sampling has been undertaken so far this year. (6) I now table the attached information. [See paper No 1571.]
(3) Pumping from the Harvey River is restricted between May and October. All other sources can be used all year round. (4) The department does not do that. However, pumping between May and October is the most likely period to contain elevated nutrient water. (5) No sampling has been undertaken so far this year. (6) I now table the attached information. [See paper No 1571.]
(4) The department does not do that. However, pumping between May and October is the most likely period to contain elevated nutrient water. (5) No sampling has been undertaken so far this year. (6) I now table the attached information. [See paper No 1571.]
(5) No sampling has been undertaken so far this year. (6) I now table the attached information. [See paper No 1571.]
(6) I now table the attached information. [See paper No 1571.]
[See paper No 1571.]
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