Silt spills as NSW desal project begins
Filed Under Curt Hennig | Posted on April 20, 2008
Large amounts of silt have washed into Botany Bay only two days after the first pipe was laid for the NSW government’s controversial desalination plant at Kurnell, in Sydney’s south.
The pipe is the first of 2,000 links that will form an 18km pipeline connecting the plant with Sydney’s main water supply tunnel at Erskineville.
The pipe system will cross Botany Bay and go over open and industrial areas, but will tunnel under roads in residential areas.
But a problem with the silt curtain meant sand and soil from the site leaving the construction area was washed by the heavy rain into Botany Bay, Sydney Water said.
“Unfortunately the unusually low tide combined with heavy rain meant the silt curtain was caught on the sand and didn’t properly refloat. This meant some silt ended up in Botany Bay,” read a letter Sydney Water sent to residents.
“We do not believe this will have any long-term environmental impact on the bay.”
Sydney Water said from now on it would be performing daily maintenance checks of the silt curtain, as well as monitoring water quality in the bay.
About 20 residents joined Scott Morrison, local federal member for Cook, to protest the spill.
Mr Morrison called on federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett to intervene and protect Botany Bay against further environmental damage.
“All work must stop on the pipeline until residents are given a clear commitment by the state government that there will be no further damage to the bay and that residents’ homes will be protected from any damage caused by the pipeline construction,” he said in a statement.
“Mr Garrett must meet with Kurnell residents next week to discuss their concerns and put pressure on Morris Iemma and NSW Labor to get their act together.”
Next week drilling will begin in the area which Sydney Water says will cause homes to shake by earth vibrations and may cause some residents to move out temporarily.
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