Important information The Dandaragan Water Reserve water source protection plan (1999, WRP no.10) was reviewed in 2017. Please ensure you read the Dandaragan Water Reserve drinking water source protection review (2017, WRP no.167) alongside the 1999 plan to obtain all of the information about this drinking water source. The 2017 review considers changes that have occurred in and around the Dandaragan Water Reserve since the completion of the 1999 Dandaragan Water Reserve water source protection plan. Additional recommendations have been prepared to ensure the ongoing protection of this public drinking water source area: amend the Dandaragan Water Reserve existing boundary to the proposed reduced boundary, including priority areas and realigned protection zone, under the Country Areas Water Supply Act 1947 (WA) realign the 300 m radius wellhead protection zone around bore 1/81 consult land holders regarding reassigning rural land within the proposed Dandaragan Water Reserve from priority 3 to priority 2 areas prior to the next review of this water reserve. You can find the 2017 Dandaragan Water Reserve drinking water source protection review at www.dwer.wa.gov.au or by contacting the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation on +61 8 6364 7000 or [email protected]. DANDARAGAN WATER RESERVE WATER SOURCE PROTECTION PLAN Dandaragan Town Water Supply WATER RESOURCE PROTECTION SERIES WATER AND RIVERS COMMISSION REPORT WRP 10 1999 WATER AND RIVERS COMMISSION HYATT CENTRE 3 PLAIN STREET EAST PERTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA 6004 TELEPHONE (08) 9278 0300 FACSIMILE (08) 9278 0301 WEBSITE: http://www.wrc.wa.gov.au Cover Photograph: The Dandaragan Wellfield ___________________________________________ _____________________________________________ i _______________________________________________________________________________________________ DANDARAGAN WATER RESERVE WATER SOURCE PROTECTION PLAN Dandaragan Town Water Supply Water and Rivers Commission Policy and Planning Division WATER AND RIVERS COMMISSION WATER RESOURCE PROTECTION SERIES REPORT NO. WRP. 10 1999 ___________________________________________ _____________________________________________ ii Acknowledgments Contribution Personnel Title Organisation Supervision Ross Sheridan Program Manager/Protection Planning Water and Rivers Commission Report Preparation Lidia Boniecka Environmental Engineer Water and Rivers Commission Report Preparation Sandra Franz Environmental Officer Water and Rivers Commission Drafting Dianne Abbott Drafting Assistant Water and Rivers Commission Drafting Nigel Atkinson Drafting Contractor McErry Digital Mapping Pty Ltd For more information contact: Program Manager, Protection Planning Water Quality Protection Branch Water and Rivers Commission 3 Plain Street EAST PERTH WA 6004 Telephone: (08) 9278 0300 Facsimile: (08) 9278 0585 Reference Details The recommended reference for this publication is: Water and Rivers Commission 1999, Dandaragan Water Reserve Water Source Protection Plan: Dandaragan Town Water Supply, Water and Rivers Commission, Water Resource Protection Series No. WRP 10. ISBN 0-7309-7356-5 ISSN 1326-7442 Text printed on recycled stock April, 1999 ___________________________________________ _____________________________________________ iii _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Foreword Water source protection plans within Priority Drinking Water Source Areas (PDWSAs). Water Source Protection Plans establish the level of protection required within Water Reserves. The plans Priority 1 (P1) source protection areas are defined to identify sources of contamination that should be ensure that there is no degradation of the water source. investigated and set out programs for management of P1 areas are declared over land where the provision of the resource. Water Source Protection Plans are the highest quality public drinking water is the prime developed in consultation with affected landowners and beneficial land use. P1 areas would typically include industry groups and relevant government agencies. land under Crown ownership. P1 areas are managed in accordance with the principle of risk avoidance and so Proclaiming Water Reserves under the Country Areas land development is generally not permitted. Water Supply Act 1947, protects the quality of water sources in country Western Australia. The Act’s by- Priority 2 (P2) source protection areas are defined to laws enable the Water and Rivers Commission to ensure that there is no increased risk of pollution to the control potentially polluting activities, to regulate land water source. P2 areas are declared over land where use, inspect premises and to take steps to prevent or low intensity development (such as rural) already clean up pollution. exists. Protection of public water supply sources is a high priority in these areas. P2 areas are managed in The Water and Rivers Commission aims to work pro- accordance with the principle of risk minimisation and actively with planning agencies to incorporate water so some development is allowed under specific protection in the land planning process. Decisions on guidelines. land use zoning and subdivision applications have a significant impact on the protection of water sources. Priority 3 (P3) source protection areas are defined to The Commission supports the amendment of Town minimise the risk of pollution to the water source. P3 Planning Schemes and Development Strategies that areas are declared over land where water supply reflect land use compatible with Water Source sources need to co-exist with other land uses such as Protection Plans. residential, commercial and light industrial developments. Protection of P3 areas is achieved This Water Source Protection Plan provides a basis for through management guidelines rather than restrictions establishing compatible land uses within the Water on land use. If the water source does become Reserve at Dandaragan and is a mechanism for contaminated, then water may need to be treated or an practical implementation of the Commission’s alternative water source found. protection strategies. Local government decision- makers, State planning authorities and operational staff In addition to priority classifications, wellhead are encouraged to recognise this document as a basis protection zones and reservoir protection zones are for ensuring the long term protection of this defined to protect the water source from contamination groundwater resource for generations to come. in the immediate vicinity of production wells and reservoirs. Wellhead protection zones are usually Water quality protection framework circular, with a radius of 500 metres in P1 areas and 300 metres in P2 and P3 areas. Reservoir protection The Water and Rivers Commission is responsible for zones usually consist of a 2 kilometre buffer area managing and protecting Western Australia’s water around the top water level of a reservoir and include the resources. The Commission has developed policies for reservoir itself. These zones do not extend outside the protection of public drinking water source areas that water reserves. Special restrictions apply within these include three levels of priority classification of lands zones. ___________________________________________ _____________________________________________ iv Contents Acknowledgments iii Appendix Foreword vi Appendix 1. Land use compatibility in Public Summary 1 Drinking Water Source Area……. 15 1. Introduction 2 Plates 2. Hydrogeology 2 Plate 1. Bores drilled into the Leederville aquifer 3. Scheme description 4 (shallow spears in background). ................2 Plate 2. Water pumped from the Dandaragan 4. Existing and proposed land use 5 wellfield is chemically treated and stored in 5. Potential for contamination 5 the tank ......................................................4 6. Proposed proclaimed area 7 Plate 3. The Water Reserve is surrounded by land used for stock grazing................................5 Recommendations 9 Figures Implementation strategy 10 References 12 Figure 1. Dandaragan locality map ...........................3 Figure 2. Potential contaminant sources....................6 Glossary 13 Figure 3. Proposed Dandaragan water reserve..........8 ___________________________________________ _____________________________________________ v Summary The Dandaragan Town Water Supply is obtained from The water reserve should be managed to minimise the a Water Corporation wellfield, which draws risk of the pollution to the water source. Therefore, groundwater from the Leederville Formation. A series signs indicating the location of the reserve should be of spears, drawing water from the shallow superficial erected, and any development proposals within the groundwater aquifer is also used to augment the public reserve should be assessed for their impact on water water supply. The Leederville Formation is unconfined quality. in the Dandaragan area, and therefore vulnerable to contamination. Extensive consultation has occurred throughout the development of this plan. A draft plan was released for The Dandaragan Water Reserve was proclaimed in comment to all key stakeholders including the Water June 1970 to cover a large proportion of the probable Corporation, Ministry for Planning, Department of recharge areas. It is proposed to extend the existing Environmental Protection, Department of Land Water Reserve to cover more of the recharge areas and Administration, Department of Conservation and Land to classify it for