Consultation open for Adelaide River Off-stream Water Storage environmental referral

The largest water infrastructure project in the Northern Territory’s history has reached a new milestone, and Territorians are being encouraged to have their say.

The largest water infrastructure project in the Northern Territory’s history has reached a new milestone with an Environmental Referral submitted to the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority.

The Adelaide River Off-stream Water Storage (AROWS) project plans to almost double Darwin’s water supply by providing 60 gigalitres of water each year to the Darwin region.

Currently in the planning and approvals phase, the project is subject to regulatory approvals and future investment decisions.

Consultation is now open for a major water infrastructure beside the Adelaide River.

The Department of Logistics and Infrastructure said the Environmental Referral was the first step of a comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process.

Public consultation on the referral is now open on the proposal, which notes AROWS could cause significant impacts to some at-risk species in the area, including the Black-Footed Tree Rat and Helicteres macrothrix shrubs.

Early simulations found AROWS was unlikely to have a notable impact farther downstream on the Top End coastal environment.

Giovina D’Alessandro, General Manager, Department of Logistics and Infrastructure. Picture: Supplied.

“Progressing the project through the EIS process will ensure that the environmental impact of AROWS is considered at the highest level of assessment by undertaking the scientific, stakeholder engagement and regulatory processes required to deliver the project,” department general manager Giovina D’Alessandro said.

“It’s important for us to understand the public’s thoughts, issues and concerns as it plays an important role in informing how the AROWS project is developed.”

The project proposes to store water in a natural basin-like ridge formation north of Lake Bennett.

At low points in the basin, two dam walls would be built to contain the water pumped from Adelaide River under strict license conditions.

No dam infrastructure would be built across the Adelaide River, with the aim to minimise impacts on river flow.

The Adelaide River Off-stream Water Storage (AROWS). Picture: Infrastructure NT.

The Environmental Referral will also be submitted to the federal government for assessment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

It is expected that the public comment period for this process will occur later this year.

Following the Environmental Referral, the NT Government said it would spend the next two to three years working with scientists, the local community, Aboriginal people, and other experts to better understand any information gaps and how to mitigate impacts.

The Environmental Referral process follows a detailed business case assessment which found that overall, the benefits of this option to meet forecast water demand outweigh the costs.

Power Water expects demand for water in the region to double by 2050, and water storage levels in Darwin River Dam to become increasingly affected by climate change and evaporation.

The planning and approval activities for the AROWS project is part of Stage 1 of the Darwin Region Water Supply Program, which is jointly funded by the Australian Government, through the National Water Grid Fund, and the NT government.

The water supply program also includes a $134m plan to return Manton Dam to service.

Have your say at ntepa.nt.gov.au/consultation/adelaide-river-off-stream-water-storage.