The Western Australian Government has announced a new plan to ensure the maintenance of the high quality of Esperance’s drinking water.

 

State Water Minister Bill Marmiom said the plan was crucial to maintaining water quality throughout the region.

 

The Esperance Water Reserve drinking water source protection plan is part of a strategy that aims to protect drinking water sources throughout Western Australia,” Mr Marmion said.


“It sets out the location of the Esperance Water Reserve and how it will be managed. It also identifies existing and future land uses and recommends how to deal with possible risks to water quality.”


The Minister acknowledged the contribution to the plan’s development made by the Shire of Esperance, the Water Corporation and local land owners within the Esperance Water Reserve.


“It was a collaborative effort to develop a plan that promotes community understanding of how the water reserve can be managed and protected,” he said.


The 2012 Esperance Water Reserve drinking water source protection plan:

  • identifies land uses, activities and risks to water quality within the Esperance Water Reserve
  • recommends management strategies to improve protection of water quality to ensure a reliable, safe, good quality water supply
  • identifies priority areas and reservoir protection zones to protect against incompatible land uses and activities in the catchment
  • proposes to proclaim amended boundaries for the Esperance Water Reserve under the Country Areas Water Supply Act 1947 (WA).

 

The plan replaces the 1999 Esperance Water Reserve water source protection plan. It is available from the Department of Water’s website: http://www.water.wa.gov.au