The Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) will assess a Water Corporation proposal for an underground wastewater pipeline that crosses through Bush Forever bushland in Armadale.
EPA Chairman Dr Tom Hatton said significant enquiries by the EPA during the referral stage of the Balannup Wastewater Pressure Main, a 4.5km pipeline running from the Collared Street Pump Station to the Waterworks Road Pump Station, found further assessment of the proposal was required.
Dr Hatton said the project proposed constructing the majority of the pipeline using open excavation methods, with 1.5km within the Bush Forever site to be constructed using a trenchless pipe installing technology known as the EcoPlough technique.
“The Anstey-Keane Bush Forever site contains regionally significant vegetation and contains one of the largest remaining areas of damplands of high conservation value on the Swan Coastal Plain,” Dr Hatton said.
“The proposal may potentially impact on several environmental factors including hydrological processes, inland environmental water quality and flora and vegetation from the installation and operations of the wastewater pressure main.
“The proponent has conducted appropriate stakeholder consultation and at this stage, the proposal does raise a limited number of key environmental factors requiring assessment.
“The EPA also considered 77 public comments and determined that formal assessment is warranted at the level of an Assessment on Proponent Information: Category A (API: A).”
The EPA will now formally assess this proposal and report its recommendations to the Minister for Environment in due course.
The Chairman’s determination to formally assess the proposal is not open to appeal.
