“It has to go somewhere.” Yes, but not everywhere is appropriate.
People sometimes say this when the desalination project comes up, but choosing a site is not simply about finding a spare piece of coastline. Some areas can absorb industrial infrastructure far better than others.
 
Nanarup sits beside Taylor Inlet, King George Sound, dune systems, national parks and well used community beaches. It is a known biodiversity hot spot with interconnected habitats that support unique flora and fauna. It is a sensitive coastal system where changes to water quality currents or shoreline conditions can have far reaching effects. Once a facility like this is built the impact is permanent and any future growth happens in the same place. Water Corporation has already confirmed the plant will start around 3.4GL with the ability to scale to 6GL on the same footprint and they have not ruled out the need for additional capacity in the future as demand increases.
 
Sandpatch is the location that should have been pursued once King George Sound was taken off the table. It already has established industrial infrastructure through the Albany Wind Farm and sits on public land, meaning it does not require acquiring rural residential properties. The coastline there is an open high energy stretch of coast that naturally disperses water more effectively than sheltered systems. Sandpatch does not flow into King George Sound.
 
The wind farm provides an existing industrial footprint and long term potential for integrating renewable energy inputs as technology evolves. There are also existing pipeline corridors in the wider area, including the Albany to Denmark pipeline, which shows that this part of the coast already supports significant utility infrastructure. Combined with the lack of nearby residential impact, the more suitable coastal conditions, and strong community support, many people see Sandpatch as the lower risk and more practical location for a desalination plant.
 
Nanarup first appeared on the Water Corporation list in July but residents in the area did not learn about it until months later. At the same time many of the environmental studies have not been completed and site specific studies will only begin after a preferred site is selected. Early modelling is expected to be presented as a high level summary only and focused largely on brine which is only one part of the picture. Site specific worst case scenarios for chemicals/biocides coastal behaviour and long term effects still need full investigation. Once a coastal or estuarine environment is significantly disrupted, it does not return to its original state. It may stabilise over time, but it becomes a different system.
 
“It has to go somewhere” is true but it does not mean every coastline is suitable. The community is asking for proper investigation full information and transparency before any decision is made so the most appropriate and least risky site can be chosen for the long term.

If you are local and haven’t signed the physical petition yet, please take a moment to do so. It makes a significant difference, and these signatures are helping us demonstrate the strength of community concern. The petition is available at several locations around the community, and we’ll be out again this coming weekend. What Desal Really Looks like and Petition Locations