On 16 July, Southern Rural Water (SRW) announced it had rejected Alcoa’s application for a groundwater licence to fill the Anglesea coal mine void, following a long community debate.
Alcoa had applied to extract 1500 megalitres of groundwater each year for 10 years to help rehabilitate the mine.
Southern Rural Water decided that the proposed licence would be likely to result in small but potentially significant reductions in shallow groundwater levels and river flows.
It also found that the licence could pose an increased risk of acid generation and no-flow days in the Anglesea River and estuary, given that the catchment is naturally acidic and subject to low river flows and acid flush events.
SRW managing director Scott Cornish said that a cautionary approach to the application was needed because of the cultural, environment, social and economic values of the catchment.
For details of the decision go to srw.com.au/news-media/alcoa-
Sally White
