Darwin region future water supply – have your say

Region: Greater Darwin | Topic: Horticulture
Aug 2021

Darwin region future water supply

Darwin region future water supply

To increase water security for all Territorians and as part of the development of a Strategic Water Plan, the Territory Government is considering infrastructure solutions for the Darwin Region.

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade (the department), in collaboration with the Australian Government and Power and Water Corporation, are developing a Detailed Business Case (DBC) to assess 2 short-listed infrastructure options to meet the Darwin region’s future water supply needs.

The DBC is supported by a $2 million Australian Government investment and will provide the information government needs to make an informed decision, including if, how and when to invest in new infrastructure.

The Preliminary Assessment was released in February 2021, outlining the 2 infrastructure options being considered, meaning that over the long term, investment in new water supply infrastructure is crucial.

The same report also looked at potential solutions and identified 2 short-listed options for further consideration:

  • Option 1: Adelaide River Off-stream Water Storage (AROWS) and Manton Dam Return to Service (RTS)
  • Option 2: Desalination and recycled water which can enable industry development

The DBC is being prepared by independent consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers and will investigate and evaluate in depth, these 2 options to respond to the expected forecast urban, industrial and agricultural demand.

Like all major infrastructure projects, if one of the options is progressed in the future, rigorous approval processes would be followed, including the need to meet all legislated requirements such as environmental impact assessment.

No decisions have been made and community input is essential to inform future decisions made by government. Visit Water Security (nt.gov.au) to find out more.

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