Council's salinity claims disputed

INCREASING levels of salinity in the region's drinking water is occurring naturally and is not due to mines discharging into the Fitzroy Basin, a senior bureaucrat says.

The statement contradicts a Rockhampton Regional Council report which said continual discharge by mines had led to an increase in electrical conductivity (the salinity measure) in water from the Fitzroy River and could lead to levels not seen since the Ensham mine debacle three years ago.

Yesterday, Department of Environment and Resource Management general manager of coal and coal seam gas operations Andrew Brier said the last wet season had seen the largest amount of water flow into the Fitzroy Basin since 1914.

He said this rainfall had seeped into the ground and was now flowing into the rivers in the basin.

“This ground water is coming in and causing the flow in the (Fitzroy) river,” he said.

Mr Brier said the ground water had a higher salinity content.

“We can confidently say we do not believe mines are contributing to the increase in salinity.”

He said the level, which was 450 µs/cm on Wednesday at the Fitzroy Barrage, was expected to increase but there were currently no health concerns.

Two mines are currently discharging contaminated mine water into the basin, Baralaba (Cockatoo Coal) and Hail Creek (Rio Tinto Coal).

Environment minister Vicky Darling said protecting water quality in the Fitzroy was one of her top priorities.

“The review of the model conditions currently being undertaken by DERM will not reduce the tough water quality objectives we have put in place in the Fitzroy.”