Newman Source Water Upgrade

Overview

The proposal is an expansion of an existing water supply borefield at Newman. The proposal forms part of the Newman Hub and the proponent has requested that the proposal be declared a derived proposal under the Pilbara Expansion Strategic Proposal approved under Ministerial Statement 1105.

The proposal is to develop the Homestead West borefield, approximately 7 kilometres northwest of Newman, to ensure ongoing supply of potable water to the town of Newman and to support BHP’s Newman Hub operations.

The proposal includes the following activities associated with water supply:

• water bores
• groundwater abstraction from new and existing abstraction bores in the Homestead West area
• ground disturbance and earthworks (vegetation and habitat removal) associated with construction
• ancillary infrastructure including pipelines and access tracks
• power distribution infrastructure including above ground cables
• other ancillary infrastructure.

The proposal will use some elements of the existing approved Homestead borefield (approved under the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914 (RIWI Act)) including:

• water bores in the Homestead West area and pipelines
• power distribution infrastructure.

The proposal would include no more than 67 hectares (ha) of clearing of native vegetation within a 326 ha development envelope. The 4.5 gigalitres per annum limit in the RIWI Act groundwater licence is proposed to continue to apply to the proposal. Groundwater may continue to be abstracted from the Homestead East bores as part of the existing Homestead borefield

Why your views matter

At this initial stage of the EIA process, comment is simply sought on whether or not the EPA should assess a proposal and, if so, what level of assessment is considered appropriate.

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