| What's
Happening?
The Water Corporation is upgrading sections of the Lower Helena Trunk Main with
a larger 1000mm diameter below ground main in order to increase capacity to transfer
water from the Integrated (Perth) Water Supply Scheme into either Mundaring Weir
or directly into the Goldfields and Agricultural Water Supply Scheme (G&AWS).
Where
Will this Happen?
Helena Valley Road (East). Installation of the pipe will involve clearing
a 1.4km corridor of up to 15 metres (50 feet) wide necessitating the
potential removal of more than 300 trees and destroying the scenic
roadway landscape forever. This section of the road is the gateway to the Darling
Range National Park in Helena Valley. In 1991 the State Planning Commission listed
it at the highest level of visual resource and considered it
to be a priority for retention and protection. |
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History
December 2004 - Four residents on Helena Valley Road received
notification of Public Comment on the proposed upgrade on December 8 2004, with
a January 17 closing date. This is the most popular time for annual leave and
holidays. The route of the proposed pipeline upgrade was opposed unanimously by
the residents. January
2005 - The Water Corporation proposal was supported by the Mundaring
Shire Council's Development Approvals Committee in January 2005.
Mundaring
Shire Council made no official contact with residents prior to or after the Development
Committee approval in January 2005.
The
Water Corporation have not installed any on-site signage notifying the public
of the upgrade or its environmental impact. Any development application normally
requires public signage and a public comment period of 42–90 days. This
has not happened in this case. March
2005 - An on-site meeting was held with the then Minister of Water Resources,
Hon. Nick Griffiths who was supportive of the objections to the project. Unfortunately,
he has moved from his Ministerial position to become the President of the Legislative
Council. June
2005 - The local residents collected petitions from the daily users of
the road which was presented to the Legislative Council of State Parliament of
WA in 2005. The requests contained in the petitions were rejected by the State
Government. September
2005 - John Kobelke MLA, the Minister assisting the Minister for Water
Resources, gives the Water Corporation approval to proceed with the pipeline upgrade
without any modification in respect of community concerns about the project. October
2005 - residents receive a Notice
of Construction from the Water Corporation. [Read
the Mailbag and What
the Papers say...] Top
of page
Environmental
Impact
The regional significance of this section of Helena Valley has
been documented in Bush
Forever, WA Planning Commission, December 2000. In 1991 the State Planning
Commission identified this section of Helena Valley Road at the highest
level of visual resource, the road and its immediate verge environment
were considered to be a priority for retention and protection.
June 2003 - Kevin Guppy, (Project Manager, Water Corporation)
and local resident Michael Ipkendanz made a preliminary inspection of the site.
Mr. Ipkendanz expressed concern regarding the significant number of trees that
would be removed. Mr. Guppy explained that only trees with a trunk diameter less
than 150mm would be removed. Unfortunately this represented about 90% of all the
endangered trees.
The first trees to be removed
in clearing operations on 15 November 2005 were 600mm in diameter. June
2004 - The
residents undertook a vegetation survey and identified 354 trees in the pipeline’s
path that would probably require removal.
The Water Corporations feature
survey indicated only 26 trees in the pipeline route. All were represented at
the same size with no trunk or canopy sizes.
Mr. Guppy reported to the Aboriginal
Elders and Heritage Consultants “two of the sections of pipeline will
be installed within the existing road areas and will involve no clearing of trees
or large rocks”.
Mr.Guppy
confirmed at a meeting with Michael Ipkendanz that a cleared area of approximately
6 metres would be required to lay the pipe, and that trees above 150mm diameter
would not be removed. This contradicts the foregoing information given
to the Aboriginal Heritage Consultants. September
2004 - Residents visited by John Waters the new Project Manager for the
Water Corporation in an effort to get residents to retract their opposition to
the pipeline upgrade. October
2004 - John Waters explained in a second meeting with Mary, Jess and
Michael Ipkendanz that their would be minimal impact and that approximately 6
-10m of clearing would be required. When questioned about the real impact he admitted
that a 1.4km long section up to 15m wide would require clearing.
This was
later confirmed in the Mundaring Shire Council Development Approvals Committee
Minutes (8.2.05).
The Committee recommended “that council advise
the Western Australian Planning Commission that it has no objection to the proposed
construction of sections 1, 2 and 3 of the Lower Helena trunk main upgrade”
( Confirmed Minutes 22.02.05)
The installation of this pipe contradicts the Water
Corporation’s environmental guidelines and policies. Top
of page
When?
Construction commenced Tuesday 15th October 2005 and will run
for approx 4-6 months. The Water Agencies Powers Act 1984 allows the
proposal to continue regardless of objections by any Government Agency or individual.
As of Thursday 17th October approx 82 trees have been felled. Clearing
has begun! The
first trees to be removed in clearing operations on 15 November 2005 were 600mm
in diameter. See
the unnecessary destruction of the environment for yourself
Conclusion
This
pipe could have been laid under the existing roadway with no damage to the environment,
minimal disturbance to residents (who suggested this strategy) and with huge
savings for the taxpayers of Western Australia.
The Water Corporation
has provided conflicting information to many parties on this issue and clearly
demonstrated little concern for its own environmental policy. Their approach has
not benefited the environment, the local residents, the taxpayers of Western Australia
or even themselves.
What
is the Solution?
That the pipe be located under
the centre of the road, without clearing of adjacent bushland. The residents affected
by the development are prepared to tolerate the resulting inconvenience in order
to retain their environment.
What's
Next?
Apart from on-site demonstrations and media coverage,
it is intended to document accurately the sequence of events on-site if the work
proceeds. Professional visual documentary coverage of the Water Corporation’s
project in Helena Valley and its impact on our environment will be available for
public consumption. Top
of page
What
can I Do?
Write,
email or telephone:
John Waters - Project Manager (Water Corporation)
- Michael Brunton - Construction Engineer (Water Corporation)
- Ask how this
sits with their environmental and “Good Neighbour” policy.
Ask if this is how they’ll behave when they expand their infrastructure
in and around Mundaring Shire.
Contact: Mundaring Shire Councillors
and ask why they allowed this to happen.
Hon G Gallop - Minister for Water
Resources
Hon J Kobelke - Minister Assisting the Minister
All opposition
members of Parliament to protest this needless destruction of the environment,
the visual pollution inflicted on such a scenic route and the added cost to taxpayers
of their strategy. Write
to your local newspaper or get on talk back radio to register your concern.
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