Responses to Save Mundaring Weir Village website

The website www.savemundaringweirvillage.wordpress.com believes that Water Corporation selected an inappropriate site for the water treatment plant (WTP) and that the O'Connor site is a better location.

This document outlines why the current site has been chosen over the O'Connor site and provides responses to the claims made on the website.

Why was the DEC Perth Hills District Office and Depot site chosen for the location of the WTP?

In February 2008, following an extensive 18 month community consultation process, the Water Corporation announced that the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) Perth Hills District Office and Depot site, situated off Mundaring Weir Road, had been selected as the location for the water treatment plant.

The decision was based on a Multi Criteria Analysis (MCA) sustainability assessment undertaken by consultants GHD, the voting preferences of the community, as well as other economic, environmental and social criteria.

The community forum site selection process was endorsed by the majority of registered community participants taking part, and the MCA process used by the Water Corporation provided extra rigour to the consultation.

Specifically, the DEC depot site was chosen because the site is already disturbed, it is close to the existing infrastructure and the water treatment plant foot print fitted within the land boundary.

While the DEC depot site was not a unanimous choice, there was broad community and stakeholder support for the site.

The general view expressed by many stakeholders and members of the community during the consultation process was that all issues associated with this site could be managed appropriately. The Water Corporation remains confident that all issues are manageable and work is ongoing to minimise any impacts.

Why wasn't the O'Connor site chosen for the WTP?

During the site selection process a number of sites were considered.  A representative group was formed from the community and the collective view was that DEC depot site is a better site than the O'Connor site. In addition, the O'Connor site was the least preferred option under the MCA process and the voting preference of the community.

Specifically, the O'Connor site has significantly more impacts to the environment with respect to native vegetation, potential for aboriginal heritage, and potential for land degradation. 

Responses to claims made on www.savemundaringweirvillage.wordpress.com are outlined below.

It is also important to note that in making a decision on the best site option for the WTP, 11 criteria were identified with the community to assess the potential environmental, social and economic impacts of the location. These criteria were then considered collectively and not in isolation.

Claim 1
Environment: The site is opposite Jacoby Park which contains one of 'the largest and most important Baudin's Black Cockatoos roosting sites'. It 'could have a significant impact on the survival of these endangered species'. Why threaten an endangered Cockatoo species?

Water Corporation Response:
The Mundaring WTP was recently granted environmental approval by the Federal and State environmental regulators.

The Federal Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA) decided that these projects were not a "Controlled Action" and that they could be managed in a "Particular Manner".  This demonstrates DEWHA's confidence that all potential impacts listed under Federal environmental legislation, mainly in regards to the local Black Cockatoo population, could be managed as proposed by the Water Corporation.

The management plan includes:
- ensuring protection of a mature stand of non-native Eucalypts, which are potential roosting site for Black Cockatoos;
- revegetation of land impacted or cleared for associated connecting pipelines;
- reclassifying the offsite conservation area as a conservation area in perpetuity within six years; and
- revegetation of an offsite conservation area to provide foraging habitat for the Black Cockatoos.

The State Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) determined the project as not requiring formal assessment as it could be managed under Part V of the Environmental Protection Act (Clearing).

In addition to the environmental approval process required by the EPA, the Mundaring Weir Water Supply Improvement projects undertake extensive monitoring and develop management plans for all potential environmental issues.

A comprehensive environmental management system outlining the management strategies and associated action for the water treatment plant will be developed and undertaken by the Water Corporation incorporating advice from relevant agencies and key stakeholders. It will cover issues such as visual impact, noise, light, traffic, vibration and dust management and monitoring, salinity, site hygiene and fire management.

Claim 2
Heritage: The site is heritage listed with the National Trust as the Mundaring Weir Forestry Settlement. It is an essential part of Western Australia's heritage. Why destroy our heritage?

Water Corporation Response:
The DEC depot site (also known as the Mundaring Weir Forestry Settlement and Portagabra) is not listed on the State Register of Heritage Places, which is maintained by the Heritage Council under the Heritage of Western Australia Act 1990 to protect and recognise places of cultural heritage significance within our State. It is however on the Heritage Council of Western Australia Assessment Program, the local heritage list and the National Trust of Australia (WA) List of Classified Places. The Water Corporation recognises the historical significance of the DEC depot site and the conservation of heritage elements at the site is a priority.  Plans for the water treatment plant on the DEC depot site will obtain relevant heritage approval before any construction can commence.

A Water Corporation-commissioned European Heritage Survey of the short-listed sites was conducted in 2007. The report acknowledged that if the water treatment plant was built at the DEC depot site, there would be some loss of heritage values "due to the loss of all or some of the remaining buildings from the former Forestry settlement."

However, the report also pointed out that "Historically many of the cottages built by the Forests Department have been relocated and some of the cottages on the DEC Land have come from other settlements. The significance of the DEC Land as a Forestry settlement has been compromised by extensive change over time."

While construction on the DEC depot site would involve some loss of heritage values due to the loss of some or all of the remaining buildings from the former forestry settlement, a heritage management strategy is being developed to address the preservation, relocation (if practicable) and the collection of photographs and drawings of the remaining buildings for archival records.

Claim 3
Recreation, tourism and education: Mundaring Weir village is a major recreation, tourism and education destination. The site is adjacent to the Kookaburra Cinema and opposite the Perth Hills National Parks Centre and campsite. More walk trails pass round or through the site than any other part of WA. Why build a huge eyesore in the ecotourism centre of Mundaring Weir Village?

Water Corporation Response:
The Water Corporation believes that the water treatment plant can co-exist with the tourism and educational facilities surrounding the DEC depot site, and we do not foresee any long-term effects on the Kookaburra Theatre and Perth Hills National Park Centre. It should also be noted that there are no walk trails that actually pass through the site. The Water Corporation operates more than 200 water treatment facilities throughout the State and, by necessity, most are located close to the community they serve. Experience shows that water treatment plants generally have minimal community impact. 

As part of the Mundaring Weir Water Supply Improvement project, of which the water treatment plant is one element, the Water Corporation is committed to making the Mundaring Weir Precinct an even better place to visit.

Plans to establish an interpretive facility to provide a link between the new projects and the heritage values of the local area are under way. The Water Corporation is working with key stakeholders and has commissioned a Land Management Study to determine the best option for this facility.

We will also work with the community and stakeholders to identify areas for improvement in the local area. This may range from upgrades to public amenities, footpaths, stairs and roads to improving signage, landscaping and picnic facilities.

The Water Corporation intends to ensure that a plant is designed that is sympathetic to the local environment and we will work with the community to ensure that the plant blends with the landscape as much as possible. This may include utilising the services of a landscape architect to design screening options, including vegetation, around the water treatment plant so as to ensure the plant is as unobtrusive as possible. Over time, the visual impact of the plant would diminish as trees and screening bushes establish.

Claim 4
Cost: The site will cost the people of WA tens of millions of dollars more than other suitable sites. Why waste our money?

Water Corporation Response:
The cost to build the water treatment plant at the DEC depot site remains within the expected range.

It is also important to note that the community attached less significance to 'cost' than other criteria related to environmental and social impacts in the MCA sustainability assessment.

In addition, as with all of the 11 criteria identified with the community to assess the potential environmental, social and economic impacts of the water treatment plant location, 'cost' should not be viewed in isolation. Rather the criteria should be looked at collectively.

Claim 5
There are thousands of hectares of recent regrowth Jarrah marri forest nearby. Some of this is in very poor condition. Why not use some of this land?

Water Corporation Response:
In Water Corporation's consultation with key stakeholders, concern at the extent of the required clearing of good quality native vegetation at the O'Connor site was expressed.

The O'Connor site has the highest flora and fauna values of all the sites considered. Most of the site supports Jarrah and Marri forest. Small sections of the site, particularly around the access track in the centre are highly disturbed, and contain some planted non-native species. The condition of the vegetation improves away from the road and while there is disturbance evident in these areas, the vegetation structure remains intact and the site retains the ability to regenerate to a better condition. The conceptual layout for the water treatment plant at this site centres around the access track, which is the most degraded section of the site. However, the conceptual site layout would require clearing of 12.98 hectares of native vegetation rated as 'Good'.

By comparison, a significant portion of the DEC depot site has been cleared in the past, with most of the central section being degraded and containing mainly introduced plant species. The northern section of the site has high habitat value as it contains different habitat types, including granite outcrops and a gully system. This area will not be impacted by the water treatment plant.