Congratulations!
This mining proposal was significantly wound back and plans to set precedent for mine waste discharge were stopped. Under the proposal no discharges are permitted into the Cox's River catchment, at least until another Centennial mine waste proposal comes forward... What this decision shows is your representations influence the NSW Government and the independent decision makers; that democracy works! Keep up the good work, write to Premier Minns about the steps to stop the pollution damage.
The proposal did, however, allow mine waste to by-pass reverse osmosis Water treatment and this untreated waste will eventually finds its way into Sydney's drinking water.
Background
Above Mt Piper Power Station west of the Blue Mountains, Centennial Coal obtained permission to transfer inadequately treated mine waste in Thompsons Creek Reservoir during operational outages at Mt Piper Power Station. Centennial failed to permanently remove the cap on pollution sent to Thompsons Creek Reservoir.
During last financial year Centennial discharged over five thousand million litres of inadequately treated pollution from Thompsons Creek Reservoir into Sydney’s drinking water catchment downstream. Most of these discharges were without a pollution licence or planning approval. Conservationists are continuing to investigate this apparent lapse in regulation.
This Springvale Water Treatment Plant Modification 11 was blocked from discharging of toxic mine waste pollution into Sydney's drinking water supplies till 2040. Centennial lost the argument that its unauthorised discharges should be granted approval till 2040. Centennial now plan to try again.
Thank you for making an objection to this proposal that curbed mine water pollution in Sydney's water catchment.
Some useful facts and references:
[i] Mt Piper Power Station at maximum power output can convert 52ML/day of mine waste into water vapor in its cooling towers but eliminates zero mine water when closed for maintenance. This plant is generating less electricity with every passing year due to the transition of the energy system away from fossil fuels.
[ii] NSW Planning Department (SSD 7592) development consent for the Springvale water treatment plant approves a zero-release system that allows mine waste storage in Thompsons Creek Reservoir, not discharge, except during emergencies.
[iii] EnergyAustralia NSW, Nov 2024, Water Access Licence and Approval Annual Compliance Report for Mt Piper Power Station (MPPS) contains data in Table 3-1, page 24 that reveals the total mine waste discharged to receiving waters from Thompsons Creek Reservoir for 2023/24 was 5,525ML (i.e. 5.525GL). Environment Protection Licence No. 13007 permitted an emergency release of 1,549.8ML in line with planning consent (SSD 7592). In 2023/24 Centennial discharged into Sydney's drinking water catchment 3,975ML (3.975GL) of inadequately treated mine water without planning consent or a pollution licence.
[iv] 45% of Centennial’s waste produced by its coal mines was discharged to receiving waters last financial year, that's 5.25GL of 12.4GL of mine waste (a gigalitre is a thousand million litres).
[v] The Centennial modification 11 proposes a 650EC salinity concentration standard for mine waste stored in Thompsons Ck Res; the 2015 Springvale mine consent set a 500EC standard for mine waste discharges.
[vi] Salinity levels of 350EC is the ANZECC & ARMCANZ (2000) water quality guideline value for storages and streams, quoted in the Sydney Drinking Water Catchment Audit 2019-22, page 225. The background salinity of the upper Coxs River is 30EC. Tto protect drinking water and the World Heritage Area 30EC should be the salinity standard for mine water discharged..
[vii] Mt Piper Power Station water licence (WAL 27428, condition MW5870-00001) requires mine waste to be used, unless unavailable.
[viii] EA compliance report, 2024, page 33, The 2023-24 total MPPS water usage was 10,885.9ML/yr and included 3,414.2ML taken from the Coxs River. The mine water that was discharged in 2023/24 fy (3,975ML), and not stored to be reused in the MPPS cooling towers, was apparently replaced by Coxs River water, contrary to EA's Water Licence.
[ix] At least 8,137ML of filtered mine water has been pumped to Thompsons Creek Reservoir and probably much more. 5,525ML in 2023/24 fy as indicated in the EA water compliance report and 2,612 ML as of 31 October 2021 (ref - Department of Planning and Environment, October 2022, Springvale Water Treatment Project MOD 8 | Assessment Report, pg 1). The approved storage limit of 5,760ML in the development consent for SSD 7592 has been exceeded by 2,377ML (>2GL).