Water Corporation to start ‘low-impact’ drilling at the Nanarup Beach area of proposed desalination plant

The Water Corporation is to start drilling at Nanarup Beach on Monday, starting its investigations into the location’s suitability for a desalination plant. A statement issued on Tuesday said the utility was going to carry out “low-impact drilling” to work out if the ground was sufficiently strong and stable to support the project. The site is in an area to the west of Taylor Inlet, according to the corporation. “To support ongoing planning, geotechnical investigations will commence on 22 March within a small section of Nanarup Beach, west of Taylor Inlet,” the statement said. “This will involve low-impact drilling to analyse soil, rock and groundwater properties to determine ground strength and stability.” Nanarup Beach was selected last month as the corporation’s preferred site for the desalination plant which it hopes will meet Albany’s demand for water beyond 2030. Water Corp said Nanarup was picked on a range of criteria including geotechnical, environmental and operational considerations. The site was selected ahead of Sandpatch, the other site under consideration, mainly for technical reasons. Adrian Stewart, the corporation’s Great Southern regional manager, said a contractor would arrive on March 22, with drilling to start the following day on March 23. The investigations are expected to take about five days and will take place between 6.30am and 5.30pm using equipment which will include a mounted drill rig, support truck and light vehicles. The corporation will drill a single, small borehole up to 40m deep to collect soil and rock samples around a potential pipeline route. There will be “a small exclusion zone” but no change to general beach access, Mr Stewart said. “This work is part of required studies for potential pipelines that would connect to a proposed seawater desalination plant,” he said. “The plant itself is planned to be located further inland. “Any noise impacts will be temporary and limited to normal daytime construction activity. “There will be no impact on the lagoon, and vehicles will remain on existing beach access tracks where possible.” As the first stage of the project appeared to be getting under way, the Water Corporation has also called for Nanarup residents to join its community consultation group. The current group has been criticised by Nanarup residents as being hand-picked by the corporation and not including people who will be directly affected by the plant. Mr Stewart said it was important that people who used Nanarup Beach take the opportunity to voice their concerns. “We’re looking for new members to join the consultation group, particularly Nanarup residents or anyone who regularly uses the area, to help support the design process,” he said. “We are very mindful of the social and natural values of the area and insights from the community consultation group will be an important consideration during the design process.” The Water Corporation statement added: “The independently facilitated group will help ensure community values, interests and concerns are understood and considered alongside technical, environmental and regulatory requirements.” Anyone wishing to join the consultation group can do so through the corporation’s website.