Extension of groundwater extraction refused

A REQUEST to extend a trial of extracting groundwater from an aquifer in Anglesea has been knocked back, with the water authority saying there was little to be gained in continuing.

Alcoa ran the trial to assess the feasibility of turning its former coal mine in Anglesea into a water body, and has a permit from Southern Rural Water (SRW) for a 12-month pumping test from the Upper Eastern View Formation (UEVF) aquifer to extract 1.5 gigalitres of water.

Starting in May 2021, the groundwater pumping test is part of a plan to have the mine void at least half full with water and thus not only meet the requirements of Alcoa’s Anglesea Mine Rehabilitation and Closure Plan but also the ambitions of Eden Project Anglesea.

Only six months of the initial 12-month pumping test were completed, and in May of this year, Alcoa applied to SRW to extend the pumping test by another six months, ending in March 2023.

On Tuesday this week, SRW announced they had refused the application for the short-term amendment to the trial.

“In assessing the application to amend the licence, we considered whether the trial extension would yield new information beyond that recorded through the pumping that has been completed,” Southern Rural Water managing director Cameron FitzGerald said.

“The aquifer has recovered back to pre-trial levels, and it is our view that further pumping would yield similar results.”

Groundwater monitoring was undertaken across 28 bores, and data was used to build a Anglesea groundwater model of how water moves through the UEVF aquifer.

“We sought advice from the independent technical panel we appointed to review the development and calibration of the groundwater model,” Mr FitzGerald said.

“They advised that additional information would be of limited benefit, because there is sufficient data to have developed and appropriately calibrated a groundwater model that can inform any potential future application for licence amendments.

“I can assure the community that should we receive an application to amend a groundwater licence for the long term, it will also be subject to a robust and transparent process, ensuring the community and stakeholders an opportunity to provide submissions.”

Two months ago, the Surf Coast Shire council unanimously opposed the trial’s extension and also endorsed a report calling for hydrogeological modelling to properly explain the interaction between surface water and groundwater in the catchment, including any links to the poor health of the Anglesea River.

The shire’s acting chief executive officer Chris Pike said on Tuesday this week the organisation was “still digesting Southern Rural Water’s decision”.

“Council made a submission to Southern Rural Water in early July and drew attention to community concerns about groundwater extraction.

“Council formed the view that it does not support continued extraction unless that extraction is proven to not have a detrimental impact on the Anglesea River and/or its catchment.”