Victorian Desalination Project Community Liaison Group
Date: Thursday 16 February 2012
Present:
John Nicol (Chair)
Peter Sammut (DSE)
Meeka Bailey (DSE – Secretary)
Natalie Haynes (DSE)
Chloe Munro (AquaSure)
Louisa McPhee (AquaSure)
Steve Burns (Thiess Degrémont)
Serena Middleton (Thiess Degrémont)
Max Tolson (Thiess Degrémont Nacap)
Cr Veronica Dowman (Bass Coast Shire)
Neville Goodwin (Bass Coast Community Representative)
I an Anderson (Cardinia Community Representative)
Sonia Rappell (City of Casey)
Cr Beverley Hastie (City of Casey Community Representative)
Apologies:
Chris Herbert (AquaSure)
John Ridley (AquaSure)
Karen Lee (Thiess Degrémont)
Cr Stuart Halligan (Cardinia Council)
Mr Nicol welcomed everyone to the 27 th
Community Liaison Group (CLG) meeting and tabled apologies. The Chair thanked Ms Rappell for the use of the Chambers and welcomed Cr
Hastie to her first CLG meeting. The Chair also congratulated Ms Munro on her appointment as
Chair and CEO of the Clean Energy Regulator, and Mr Goodwin on being awarded Citizen of the
Year by the Bass Coast Shire Council.
The minutes were adopted as drafted.
Mr Sammut updated the group on DSE activities and detailed the Independent Reviewer and
Environmental Auditor’s (IREA) findings for the month of January. There were no non‐compliances and two areas for improvement with no observations.
Access to current legal and other requirements through database
Database updates to reflect amended permit dates.
Mr Sammut then explained to the group how desalinated water would be distributed through
Melbourne’s water network and the desalination pipeline, to connect communities to the
Melbourne water network and provide security of supply, irrespective of whether desalinated

water was being delivered or not. He noted the transfer pipeline is a two‐way pipeline which runs from the plant site to the water network in Berwick. It is 84km long and 1.94 metres in diameter and will deliver desalinated water to the Melbourne metropolitan supply system when the plant is operational or Melbourne metropolitan pool supply water (which would flow down the pipeline) when the plant is non‐operational. This is an important extension to the water network grid that connects areas in South Gippsland and Western Port to Melbourne’s 1800GL water storage capacity.
He noted that the pipeline will secure water supplies for directly connected water retailers, if and when they choose to use it, through delivery points for South East Water, South Gippsland Water and Westernport Water along the desalination pipeline. The delivery points are provided by the
Victorian Desalination Project and the water retailers carry out any connection works.
Mr Sammut then detailed how water will travel from the plant to the water network using maps provided in the presentation. Desalinated water enters the network from the desalination pipeline at the plant site and then travels to a connection point in the Melbourne supply network at Berwick. It can then go directly to customers or into Cardinia Reservoir. Water can also be pumped by Melbourne Water to Silvan Reservoir, which is a major water distribution hub to an even broader range of customers. He commented that the water does not need to go into Cardinia Reservoir before it can be used. The water meets Australian Drinking Water
Standards and the performance requirements in the contract between the State and AquaSure before it leaves the plant site and water quality is monitored at every delivery point.
South East Water has advised it will use two delivery points, one for Koo Wee Rup and another for Lang Lang, which will improve water pressure for Koo Wee Rup. These areas will receive their water supply from the desalination pipeline but could also continue to receive supplies from Tarago Reservoir. South East Water has another connection point in the Urban
Growth Area that can be activated in the future when demand requires it.
Westernport Water and South Gippsland Water will continue to use their local water supplies and will connect to the desalination pipeline to provide water security. Westernport Water will access
Melbourne metropolitan pool water (which could be desalinated water or water from Cardinia
Reservoir) if and when it requires it. South Gippsland Water will use the current connection
(funded by the Victorian Desalination Project) between Lance Creek and the desalination pipeline at the plant site to provide water to this reservoir and communities in Wonthaggi, Cape Paterson and Inverloch, if it is required. Again, this could provide desalinated water or water from the
Melbourne metropolitan pool supply. South Gippsland Water is proposing to also connect northern areas such as Korumburra, Leongatha and Poowong to the Lance Creek System because of the security of supply provided by the connection to the desalination project.
The Chair asked if there was a plan in place if the water network couldn’t handle the amount of water being produced. Mr Sammut explained that water was ordered annually under the contract, with the flexibility to order 0GL, 50GL, 75GL, 100GL, 125GL or 150GL. Given water is essentially ordered only 12 months in advance, there is plenty of opportunity to manage water supplies by balancing water delivered to customers versus supply from the plant and other sources. Cardinia
Reservoir has about 286GL of total capacity in its own right and there is over 1800GL of storage capacity in the system.
Mr Anderson asked about gravity fed water resources to Cardinia and Silvan reservoirs. Mr
Sammut said water can flow in either direction between these two reservoirs, and that the
PowerPoint slide indicated the main pumping stations in the system. Water is pumped around the
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system as needed, and has been for decades.
Mr Burns reinforced that the transfer pipeline would give a huge amount of water security to the
State even if the desalination plant is not operating, by connecting more communities to
Melbourne’s metropolitan supply.
Ms Munro noted that this would be her last CLG as she would be resigning from AquaSure as of the end of March in order to take up her new role as Chair and CEO of the Clean Energy Regulator.
She thanked the group members for their participation and noted that the CLG was a constructive and practical way to engage the community in the project.
Ms Munro explained that she is very passionate about the need for market mechanisms to implement carbon reduction policies and tackle climate change. She said that she had to step down from her portfolio of non‐executive roles in order to take up this significant, new, full time position. Ms Munro also noted that taking this new role was not an indication of any lessening of her belief in the importance of desalinated water, AquaSure or the work being done by the
Victorian Desalination Project. She commented that she believed desalinated water is going to be an essential part of water supply and that the desalination plant would serve Victoria well in anticipation of climate variability and population growth. Ms Munro said she looked forward to seeing water produced and wished the project parties luck with the final phase of construction.
The Chair commented that the CLG continued to be a success due to the high‐level representation from people such as Ms Munro and thanked her for her contribution. Mr
Goodwin and Cr Dowman thanked Ms Munro for her contributions to the Bass Coast community, particularly in the area of arts and culture, and for the information provided at each of the CLG meetings. Ms McPhee thanked Ms Munro on behalf of AquaSure.
Mr Burns started his presentation by addressing an action from last month’s CLG meeting requesting an update in relation to Acid Sulphate Soil (ASS) at the plant site. As John Ridley reminded the group at the last meeting, ASS are naturally occurring soils and common along the east coast of Australia, including coastal regions like Wonthaggi. ASS contain iron sulphide minerals which, if exposed to air, react with oxygen and produce acid. The issue is readily managed with lime, a common, natural garden and farm chemical compound which neutralises the acid.
Water run‐off from ASS must be carefully managed to ensure it doesn’t enter other water bodies before it has been treated. This has been done by capturing all groundwater and surface water on site in sediment ponds, which are regularly tested and treated as part of the site’s environmental monitoring program. These sediment ponds have enough capacity to be capable of withstanding a significant rainfall event. In the event that there is an excess of water on site, the sediment ponds are discharged in a controlled manner into the wetlands to the east of the site. Any water that flows naturally into the Wonthaggi Drain is required to be in compliance with EPA requirements.
An image of the sediment pond was shown with treatment taking place to ensure pH levels were correct. Mr Burns said pH levels had changed over time as construction activities progressed.
While concrete pouring and installation was taking place the pH levels were more alkaline and had to be treated in response to this. As concrete work finished the pH levels moved away from alkaline.
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TDJV also treats the soil. It is stockpiled on the eastern side of Lower Powlett Road, placed on non‐permeable clay covered by a layer of lime and surrounded by bunds to contain water run‐off. A lime layer helps neutralise the soil.
Ms Dowman commented that she had received a question at the last Council meeting with regard to ASS being taken to landfill. Ms Burns responded that no ASS had left the plant site. Mr Tolson noted that ASS on the pipeline and power supply easement was treated as required and that some had gone to an appropriately licensed facility for disposal. As explained at the previous CLG meeting, ASS management on the easement was relatively simple as the soils were not exposed to oxygen for long periods.
Mr Burns said the EPA issued a PAN to AquaSure in June 2010 in relation to the presence of ASS on site. It was not an infringement notice, and there was no pollution incident. The notice was a proactive preventative action. The EPA was keen to ensure that there was no pollution from the naturally occurring ASS at the plant site in terms of run‐off to waterways and groundwater on site.
The EPA issued a revised PAN to AquaSure in October 2010. This was not a new PAN, it merely amended the water quality targets to reflect estuarine conditions at the time (to reflect that the Powlett River was not entirely fresh water and that this had implications for water quality). AquaSure was issued with a second PAN in January 2012. Again, this was a proactive, preventative action on the part of the EPA, and there was no pollution incident on site but further investigations into groundwater and potential and actual ASS onsite is required.
Mr Burns said it is important to understand that the EPA’s issue of the second PAN does not mean that the matter isn’t being properly dealt with. The bottom line is that that ASS is being managed carefully. The IREA has previously said that AquaSure has met the requirements of the EPA PAN with regard to ASS management. AquaSure, through TDJV, is implementing a substantial work plan, which addresses the requirements in the PAN. The first PAN related to the design and construction phase of the project. The second PAN relates to the longer‐term management of ASS on site, in particular the ongoing detection and monitoring of acid sulphate in groundwater on site, and the development of a contingency plan to deal with the impact of ASS over the period to
30 June 2013.
A work plan for the long‐term management of ASS has been developed and is being implemented.
This plan includes a program of investigation and monitoring, further characterisation of soil and groundwater on site including the development of a mathematical model of ASS on site and its interactions, risk assessment and management options, and recommendations.
Mr Burns stressed again that a PAN is a proactive, preventative action, and there has not been any pollution incident on site.
Mr Goodwin noted that his comments last month regarding the EPA related to an EPA News article that was published in 2010 and was not directly relevant to the work being done on ASS.
Mr Burns then informed the group of the latest site statistics.
3,404 people working on the project, which includes 3,021 working on the plant site.
Concrete poured: 74,953m3 of an estimated 76,961m3 (97.3%).
Precast concrete erected: 45,664m2 of 48,141m2 (92%).

Structural steel erected: 5,840t of 5,961t (98.0%).
Underground Glass Reinforced Plastic pipe installed: 5,822 Lm of 5,914 Lm (98.4%).
Underground High Density Poly Ethylene pipe installed: 16,643 Lm of 17,369 Lm (95.8%).
TDJV is nearing completion of major civil works and the bulk of the mechanical installations on site. Mr Burns then showed some slides which demonstrate just how close to being finished some of these buildings are. He showed slides of the Dual Media Pressure Filters, the Seawater Lift
Pump Station and both inside and outside of the Administration Building.
The underground tunnels have now been filled with seawater. Mr Burns said this was an exciting milestone. Mr Burns said that energisation to the plant site was expected to be completed early- to mid- March and that it would be reticulated down to the Seawater Lift
Pump Station.
Ms Middleton gave an update on people numbers on the plant site near Wonthaggi. As Mr Burns mentioned earlier, there are now 3021 people on the plant site. This means that 263 people have completed their roles on the project in the past month. The experience gained by staff by working with Thiess Degrémont on the desalination project would assist with new roles. Ms Middleton provided an example of a local woman working in an administration role who will finish on the desalination project next month and move on to a role with Thiess on the Regional Rail Link project.
Site visits since the last CLG meeting included the NSW Minister of Finance and Services
(through DSE), Herd Improvement Co‐operative Australia Ltd, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking
Corporation hosted by AquaSure, French national railway company SNCF hosted by
Degrémont, Energy Safety Victoria and Inverloch Walking Group. Community presentations since the last CLG meeting included the Foster Probus Club, Grossard Court Aged Care Facility and
Tootgarook Probus Club. The Community Relations Team also attended the Kilcunda Lobster
Festival on the 29th January and hit 6,000 visitors to their mobile Community Information Centre.
To conclude, Ms Middleton informed the group that, thanks to Mr Goodwin’s suggestion at the last meeting, there will be some information about the transfer pipeline water delivery points in
AquaSure’s next Community Update.
Mr Tolson advised that, as reported previously, construction and commissioning of the pipe is complete. Some associated work is yet to be completed to allow full operation of the pipe including completion of the Booster Pump Station at Pound Road, Distribution Point One (the main connection point into the Melbourne Water network at Berwick) and the Surge Vessel at Kilcunda
Ridge. These system components are planned to be completed by May this year. As mentioned by
Mr Burns, energisation of the power cable is now planned for early March. The Fibre optic cables have been completed as reported last month.
Mr Tolson said temporary road repairs are continuing. While overall heavy truck movements have reduced considerably there are some locations where heavy haulage continues on some days. Under
PLJV’s contract, PLJV must remove the haul road material, built by pipeline crews in the early stages of the project, from the easement.
PLJV is working closely with Bass Coast Shire Council on the details of the first roads to be permanently reinstated; the planning is expected to be completed this week or next with the road
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works to then commence within a few weeks. The road reinstatement can only commence when it is agreed that the bulk of heavy haulage is completed.
In the City of Casey Council and Cardinia Shire Council areas most of the road reinstatement works have been associated with individual road crossings rather than entire sections of road. The road crossings have been reinstated progressively including approval of completed works by
Councils.
Mr Tolson showed the group a photograph of the re‐use of the construction haul road gravel on a dairy farm at Caldermeade. He said permanent reinstatement of properties includes the removal of the haul road. Construction of a haul road is standard practice on pipeline projects. It serves as a temporary construction access road, allowing trucks to deliver goods directly to the point where they are needed. It also minimises the amount of time that trucks and other slow‐moving construction vehicles need to spend on public roads, maximizing safety for both local road users and construction crews and reducing impacts on local roads.
As mentioned, Mr Tolson noted that the contract requires haul road material to be removed from the easement. Some landowners have expressed an interest in retaining haul road material for their properties. The material is a “soft rock” or sedimentary rock. Some landowners have requested to re‐use the construction haul road gravel. PLJV is supplying the material if the landowner’s proposed usage is approved by the relevant water authority and the local council is advised. PLJV is happy to facilitate requests from landowners who wish to secure haul road material, providing all of the necessary approvals have been obtained, including written agreement from the relevant landowner. Naturally, directly‐impacted landowners are the priority.
Where the material is re‐used on the adjacent property this significantly reduces the movement of heavy haulage trucks on public roads.
Mr Tolson then described the progress of reinstatement to the week ending 7th February. He said land reinstatement is progressing well. Crews are currently working on the Cranbourne Extension, at Pound Road, Berwick, adjacent to Ballarto Road at Cardinia, at Caldermeade, Lang Lang, north of the Bass River and near the Powlett River.
The pasture sown pre‐Christmas was affected by heat in the Pound Road area but has established well further south. The Independent Rehabilitation Consultant regularly reviews the land reinstatement details including detailed on‐site inspections. The aim is to have the haul road removed, the subgrade soil levelled and treated with lime and gypsum then topsoil spread ready to sow pasture during autumn.
An image of reinstatement work in The Gurdies area was discussed. Mr Tolson described the complex effort required to ensure the variable surface levels in this area were accurately achieved by using global positioning system to match the three dimensional landscape. Soil moisture content in The Gurdies area had assisted pasture grown and fine weather was required up until Easter to assist this.
Mr Goodwin began by reporting that he had been in contact with Mr Tolson over the last few weeks with regards to traffic management of trucks and that the issue was dealt with immediately.
He also commented that rehabilitation works were looking great and that a landowner issue regarding clay soils had been resolved.
Mr Goodwin said that the condition of some local roads was a real issue. He said both

Gurdies‐St Heliers Road and Stewart Road were a mess and that some of the holes on the roads are quite large and stabilisation was required. He said he had been assured that PLJV was looking into this. Cr Dowman said she agreed these roads were still in an appalling condition and hoped it wouldn’t be too much longer until they were reinstated. Cr Dowman commented that she had driven along these roads today and encouraged all road users to drive according to the speed limits and the conditions. She asked when Stewart Road was due for reinstatement.
Mr Tolson informed the group that these roads were still being used for heavy haulage although that was becoming more infrequent. The roads are still being used to transport spoil removed from the easement but once that was done, rehabilitation would begin – hopefully this should be late March, early April for this area.
Cr Dowman said that she had had some good comments from local farmers regarding use of the haul road material. She also thanked AquaSure for their contribution towards the Serenade by the
Sea.
Mr Anderson questioned sowing pasture along Pound Road pre‐Christmas as he thought it would need to be re‐done. Mr Anderson also enquired if there was only one contractor reinstating the whole easement and whether there was an order of priority. Mr Tolson said that pasture in the Pound Road area had not progressed as well as The Gurdies and that this would be resown where required. He said seven crews were working in various areas on the easement. The original plan was to use two large crews working north to south and south to north, however, it was felt that smaller crews under supervisors with knowledge of the various areas would be more practical. The location of the crews depend on the balance of men and machines as well as optimal timing and the flow of work. He also noted that there was no priority based on landowner as work progressed better when dictated by conditions, machinery location and progress of construction completion.
Mr Anderson noted that this may mean that some landowners could miss the window of opportunity for pasture sowing, however, he agreed that this system made sense. The Chair noted that on a linear piece of infrastructure there would always be properties that would be completed first and last.
Cr Hastie thanked the group for the welcome and noted that she was looking forward to the CLG site visit scheduled for next month.
No issues raised by Ms Rappell.
The Chair informed the group that Mr Anderson had suggested that the April meeting include a small tour enabling the group to see the reinstatement being done. He also reminded the group of the site tour at the next meeting and that Ms Bailey and Ms Middleton would coordinate and send out further details at a later date.
Meeting closed 11:47am
To be held 29 March 2012 at 9:00am the plant site.