Stop bauxite mining threatening drinking water
Bauxite mining poses grave risks to WA’s critical drinking water supplies, and these risks are exacerbated in a heating, drying climate.
In 2022 the Water Corporation stated that:
For more information see the End Forest Mining fact sheet on water contamination: Bauxite mining threatens drinking water
“Bauxite mining operations represent the single most significant risk to water quality in Perth Metropolitan and Southwest drinking water catchments.”Despite this warning, the State Government continues to allow bauxite mining in drinking water catchments. Alcoa is still permitted to clear forests for mining and infrastructure in Reservoir Protection Zones (RPZ), 2km buffers completely off-limits to the public, designed to prevent contamination. This double standard presents risks to water quality and supply through the introduction of pathogens, hazardous substances, sediments and organic matter as well as changes to hydrology. In addition, the risk of contamination by PFAS or ‘forever chemicals’ has been reported from historic use at Alcoa’s mine sites and the company was issued a prevention notice by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation in March 2023.
For more information see the End Forest Mining fact sheet on water contamination: Bauxite mining threatens drinking water
Sources:
Take action
Write to the Premier, the Ministers for Environment, Mines and Water and your local MPs to ensure the Cook Government know that it’s time to end all forest mining in drinking water catchments.
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End Forest Mining is an alliance of many groups, representing tens of thousands of people, and growing. We are calling on the Cook Government to end forest mining and safeguard WA’s magnificent forests in protected areas. endforestmining.org.au
