Desalination Plant Proposal Faces Uphill Battle Amid Water Woes and Political Disputes

A Long and Winding Road

securing the water supply of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Western Australia's largest inland city.

The WA Nationals and Opposition Leader Shane Love have proposed a $102 million plan to build a desalination plant in Esperance, 700km southeast of Perth, and pump the processed seawater 400km north to Kalgoorlie-Boulder. This ambitious project, while seemingly visionary, faces several challenges that have plagued similar proposals in the past.

The history of piping water to Kalgoorlie is long and fraught. The city's existence hinges on the Goldfields Water Pipeline, a 600km marvel built in the 1890s to bring fresh water from Mundairing Weir in the Perth Hills. This visionary project, spearheaded by engineer CY O'Connor, faced immense criticism and cost overruns, ultimately driving O'Connor to suicide. Despite the initial hardships, the pipeline's legacy is undeniable, but its age necessitates a replacement.

Other ambitious plans to pipe water across vast distances have been proposed throughout history. In the late 1980s, Water Resources Minister Ernie Bridge envisioned a pipeline bringing water from the Kimberley to Perth, echoing O'Connor's vision. A similar proposal by then-opposition leader Colin Barnett in 2005 suggested a canal stretching from the Fitzroy River to Kalgoorlie, connecting to the existing pipeline to Perth. Both plans were ultimately abandoned due to exorbitant costs and logistical challenges.

The Esperance desalination plant proposal faces similar hurdles. Previous iterations of the project, including a 2007 proposal by United Utilities Australia, were stalled by high costs and the associated expense of the produced water. The Nationals hope to mitigate these costs by utilizing a disused gas pipeline for transportation.

However, the water needs of Kalgoorlie-Boulder extend beyond households. The mining industry, a significant water consumer, relies on tens of thousands of liters weekly. The city has become adept at recycling its water supply for parks and gardens, generating revenue through its sale. However, a recent deal to sell recycled water to rare earths miner Lynas has sparked controversy, leaving community groups with insufficient water and prompting a probity review.

With Labor holding a substantial lead over the Liberals and Nationals, the desalination plant proposal is unlikely to be realized, at least in the near future. However, the need for a new water source remains pressing, and mediating local disputes could pave the way for a solution. The long and winding road to securing Kalgoorlie-Boulder's water future continues, with the next chapter yet to be written.