Melbourne desalination plant

An AUD$3.1 billion desalination plant is to be built in the Wonthaggi region of the Bass Coast of Victoria, Australia by the end of 2011. The plant will supply water to Melbourne and surrounding districts.

Planning

The capital cost for the project has been estimated at AUD$3.1 billion in the initial feasibility study. Ongoing operating costs (labour, replacement of membranes, chemicals costs and energy) are estimated at AUD$132 million per annum (in 2007 dollars). [Melbourne Water, "June 2007", [http://www.melbournewater.com.au/content/library/current_projects/water_supply/seawater_desalination_plant/feasibility_study/Desalination_plant_Feasibility_Study_Chapter_9a.pdf "Seawater Desalination Plant Feasibility Study - Chapter 9a"] ] Unlike previous water infrastructure works in Melbourne, the plant will be built and operated as a public-private partnership, so factoring in profit, amortised funding, etc, water is likely to be delivered at around AUD$4000 per megalitre, for a total annual cost of AUD$600 million.cite web
url=http://www.iaq.com.au/default.asp?PageID=21&ReleaseID=340&Display=True
author=Kenneth Davidson
title="Proper Process Would Reveal the Deception in Desal"
work=The Age
date=2008-08-03
publisher=www.theage.com.au
accessdate=2008-08-10]

The plant is to provide an additional 150 gigalitres of water each year using the reverse osmosis method of desalination chosen in the feasibility study, [Melbourne Water, "June 2007", [http://www.melbournewater.com.au/content/library/current_projects/water_supply/seawater_desalination_plant/feasibility_study/Desalination_plant_Feasibility_Study_Executive_Summary.pdf "Seawater Desalination Plant Feasibility Study - Executive Summary"] ] with the capability of being expanded to 200 gigalitres per annum. The plant will be the largest in Australia and will provide around a third of Melbourne’s yearly water use. This project represents the single biggest boost to Melbourne's water system since the approval of the Thomson Dam in 1975.

Construction of the plant is scheduled to commence in mid-2009. [Our Water, "June 2007", [http://www.ourwater.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/474/FinalFactSheetDesalinationPlant.pdf "Fast Facts – Desalination and energy"] ] The Planning Minister, Justin Madden, approved a planning scheme amendment for a pilot desalination plant on the 11 January 2008 (to come into effect on the 17 January). [Bass Coast Shire Council, "15 January 2008", [http://www.basscoast.vic.gov.au/content/content.asp?cnid=3019&ctid=5 "Desalination Pilot gets the go ahead"] ]

Location

The plant is to be built in the Wonthaggi region of the Bass Coast by the end of 2011. More specifically, it is to be built behind Williamsons Beach near Kilcunda. [The Age Newspaper, "February 4, 2008", [http://www.theage.com.au/news/in-depth/in-the-eye-of-the-storm/2008/02/03/1201973733253.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2 "In the eye of the storm"] ] Nine sites were included in the "long list" in the feasibility study. These were "short listed" to four (Surf Coast, East of Port Philip Bay, West of Western Port, and Bass Coast). Bass Coast was chosen as the premium location. [Melbourne Water, "June 2007", [http://www.melbournewater.com.au/content/library/current_projects/water_supply/seawater_desalination_plant/feasibility_study/Desalination_plant_Feasibility_Study_Executive_Summary.pdf "Seawater Desalination Plant Feasibility Study - Executive Summary"] ] Compulsory acquisition notices were issued to the residents of the proposed desalination site on the 25th January 2008. [Your water, your say, "25th January 2008", [http://www.yourwateryoursay.org/wp-content/uploads/press-release-acquisitions.pdf "Compulsory acquisition notices"] ]

Criticism

Many experts condemn the plant due to its high cost and impact on the environment. As announced on 28 December 2007, the project will be the subject of an Environment Effects Statement (EES).

The tender process used by the state government has been criticised for disregarding expert opinion and for pre-selecting desalination as the preferred outcome, even though the problem is lack of water, not lack of a desalination plant. Other cheaper alternatives such as piping water from Tasmania's lake Margaret across the Bass Strait have seen less publicity. [Water Week, "26 September 2007", [http://waterweek.wordpress.com/2007/09/26/melbournes-desalination-environmental-vandalism-and-economic-madness-cheaper-to-pipe-water-350k-from-tasmania-lake-margaret-across-bass-strait/ "Melbourne’s desalination: environmental vandalism and economic madness"] ] [The Age Newspaper, "January 14, 2008", [http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/protest-over-water-plan/2008/01/13/1200159277572.html "Protest over water plan"] ] [The Age Newspaper, "March 3 2008", [http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/tasmania-could-solve-victorias-water-problem/2008/03/02/1204402273183.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1 "Tasmania could solve Victoria's water problem"] ] Tasmania has substantial runoff from hydroelectric dams which currently flows out to sea unused. [The Age Newspaper, "February 28 2008", [http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/brumbys-head-in-the-sand-on-water/2008/02/27/1203788439204.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1 "Brumby sticks his head in the sand on water"] ]

The community group Your Water Your Say is opposed to the proposal, taking legal action against the Victorian State Government regarding non-disclosure of financial information and lack of environmental studies and reports. [cite web
url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/05/16/2246614.htm
title=Action group loses legal challenge over desalination
work=ABC News
date=May 16, 2008
publisher=www.abc.net.au
accessdate=2008-07-19] As of July 2008 the group lost that action, with the Federal Court able to award costs to the State Government estimated up to $200000, effectively sending the community group broke. [cite web
url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23857427-661,00.html
title=Opponents of Victorian desalination plant must pay costs
work= Herald Sun
date=June 13, 2008
publisher=www.news.com.au
accessdate=2008-07-19] The government was highly criticised for the action which was also taken against the community group "Blue Wedges" representing those opposed to dredging in Port Phillip Bay and the Yarra River.Fact|date=July 2008

Many protests have been held both at the site in Wonthaggi and in Melbourne on Spring Street. [cite web
url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/14/2302648.htm
title=Desal opponents resume protest at Wonthaggi
work=ABC News
date=July 14, 2008
publisher=www.abc.net.au
accessdate=2008-07-19] In July 2008, around 50 people protesting near the desalination plant were removed from public land by police. [cite web
url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24016990-661,00.html
title=Protesters met by police at desal site in Wonthaggi
work=Herald Sun
date=July 14, 2008
publisher=www.news.com.au
accessdate=2008-07-19]

References

External links

* [http://www.melbournewater.com.au/content/publications/fact_sheets/water/seawater_desalination_feasibility_study.asp Melbourne Water Seawater Desalination Feasibility Study]
* [http://www.yourwateryoursay.org Your water, Your say - Anti-desalination group]