First nations

Lightning Ridge Bore Water Pipeline

Project overview

The Lightning Ridge project will improve water access and reliability. The community’s water challenges include old infrastructure, degraded pipelines and climate risks.

The project involves:

  • upgrading more than 5 km of pipeline
  • repairing the main bore to full functionality
  • upgrading both bores to meet industry standards.

Benefits of the project will include:

Wujal Wujal Water Infrastructure Upgrades

Project overview

This project will construct a new water treatment plant to address water quality issues.

Wujal Wujal has many issues with water quality. Its water infrastructure is old and in poor condition. The water treatment plant is not operating as it should. The community experiences frequent and long-lasting boil water alerts and water restrictions.  

The project will design and construct a new water treatment plant to replace the existing plant. The new plant will include:

Northern Peninsula Area Water Supply Project

Project overview

This project will provide a safe, secure and reliable drinking water source for the Indigenous communities of Bamaga, Seisia, New Mapoon, Umagico and Injinoo.  

The project will:

  • upgrade the water treatment plant in Bamaga
  • replace asbestos cement pipelines in Bamaga and Seisia
  • connect a new water main in New Mapoon.

Water for Umagico and Injinoo is provided by the Bamaga water treatment plant. 

Dajarra Water Security Project – Stage 1

Project overview

This project will improve Dajarra’s long term water security. It will also ease water restrictions across the community.

Dajarra has a poor quality and unreliable bore water supply, and its distribution network has reached its end-of-life. It is estimated to leak 7.2 ML of water per year. These issues have resulted in water restrictions, including no outdoor or overnight use, to reduce water loss.

The project has two parts:

Cherbourg Water Quality Improvement Project

Project overview

This project will deliver long term water security for Cherbourg. The project will address:

  • ongoing water quality and reliability issues, like regular boil water alerts
  • water leaks and contamination that are caused by a failing water treatment plant and aged distribution network.

The project will upgrade the:

  • water treatment plant
  • distribution network
  • Bert Button treated water reservoirs.

The project includes:

Mornington Island Water Supply – Stage 1

Project overview

The Mornington Island Water Supply project will support the Kunhanaamendaa, or people of Kunhanhaa. 

The quality of the island’s water supply can worsen during extreme weather and lead to boil water alerts. The water treatment plant upgrades will deliver better drinking water and health outcomes. The plant will treat water turbidity and contamination from bacteria and metals. 

The plant will include:

Water Security for the Bondini Aboriginal Community

Project overview

The Water Security for the Bondini Aboriginal Community project will replace leaking and damaged pipework near the Bondini Community. This will increase water security and reduce the risk of burst pipes.

The project will replace approximately 1km of existing pipework and install new valves and fittings so the pipe will operate with the original network. It is estimated that these works will save 432 kilolitres (kL) to 3,088kL of water per year.

Bore Sealing Program – Phase 1

Project overview

The Improving Water Quality in First Nations Communities – Bore Sealing Program – Phase 1 project will complete bore sealing and water source protection for 24 remote First Nations communities in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions of Western Australia. 30 bores have been prioritised based on the poor condition of the bore headworks and bore pad. This is as well as the risk to water security and risk of contamination to the water supply.

Bores are sealed to:

Chlorination of Water Supply – Phase 1

Project overview

The Improving Water Quality in First Nations Communities – Chlorination of Water Supply – Phase 1 project will construct and install chlorinators in 10 remote First Nations communities in Western Australia to increase water quality. The chlorinators will replace existing UV disinfection systems that are not fit for purpose in these remote communities. Chlorinators provide better disinfection than UV systems in some situations, including where regular services do not happen often.

Each system will include: