Media Releases
Industry Encouraged to Help Develop West Pilbara's Next Water Source
27/07/10
Identifying and developing new water sources will be crucial in maximising the growth potential of the West Pilbara, according to the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia (CME).
CME Chief Executive Reg Howard-Smith said the announcement of an Expression of Interest process to identify all potentially viable water sources was a vital step in securing the region’s economic future.
The government initiative follows the recent release of the CME report, Water Resource Management – Issues and Priorities.
The report found state-wide water demand from the resource sector was forecast to rise at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.4 per cent – predominantly driven by an increase in self-extraced water demand.
Overall, resource projects will require an additional 100GL each year to 2020 – equivalent to about a quarter of Perth’s current total water use.
“The availability of water is set be a key driver of sector growth – and we’ve identified the Pilbara as one of the regions where there will be a significant increase in demand,” Mr Howard Smith said.
“For some time now, CME has called for greater planning and collaboration to optimise use of such a scarce resource.
“Member companies are already exploring the development of new water sources in the West Pilbara – and the EOI process provides an opportunity to feed into an overall strategy for the region.”