Eden Project wants to test aquifer as water solution

THE ongoing water issues surrounding the Eden Project proposal in Anglesea appears to have made some progress, with its proponents to test one of their two preferred options to more rapidly turn the void at the former Alcoa coal mine into a water body.
The $150 million proposal for the site needs the void to be at least half full, which would represent about 8-9 gigalitres of water.
Earlier this week, Eden Project International chief executive officer David Harland said Alcoa had submitted an application to Southern Rural Water to conduct a 12-month pumping test of the Upper Eastern View Aquifer – one of Eden’s two preferred options to fill the void.
“This was submitted to the water authority in May and we expect to hear the result soon. The test would include extensive monitoring and regular communications with stakeholders and the community, and ultimately provide the information required to better inform us all about the potential use of the groundwater for this project.
“Alcoa has an existing licence to pump up to 4 gigalitres a year from the Upper Eastern View Aquifer and during power station operations used around 3.5 gigalitres annually. Eden would need just 1.5 gigalitres per year on top of the water already in the body to sufficiently fill the void and we are seeking a licence amendment to allow us to do that.”
The other option would be recycled water from a yet-unbuilt pipeline to Anglesea, which the Eden Project says it will not build but will be prepared to purchase water from.
“We are not against a recycled water pipeline in the longer term and would be just one of the many users that would benefit from its construction,” Mr Harland said.
“Our preferred scenario is that the water body would fill further in the years after the project opens.”
The concept of Eden Project Anglesea was revealed in May 2019 but has been trying for months to resolve its water issues in particular to take the next step.
Mr Harland said the team behind Eden Project Anglesea “have never been more ready”, 14 months later.
“Forgive us… but a global pandemic is not a bad reason for a delay! The world has changed in ways no one could have predicted when Eden Project Anglesea was announced so we have obviously made allowances for this. Having said that, we don’t see a reason why this project shouldn’t proceed now so we urge the relevant authorities to continue to work with us to make Eden Project Anglesea a reality.”