Advocates call for mining giant to end water extractions possibly damaging millennial old site

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Environmentalists called for mining giant BHP to end its water extraction from the Great Artesian Basin when a major desalination plant is built in SA's north. They said the use of the underground water was damaging - and in some cases drying up - springs in the outback that are considered culturally and ecologically significant.

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00:00Near the southern shores of Katitunda Lake Eyre, mound springs have sustained life for

00:07millennia. They're fed from the Great Artesian Basin and traditional owners are concerned

00:12nearby water extraction from minor BHP is causing damage.

00:16A lot of our springs have got cultural stories to them. We call it Uluruca, which means history

00:22time. If you take some of those springs away or destroy them that sort of breaks that connection

00:29between Uluruca.

00:30The SA Government is proposing to build a $5 billion desalination plant in the Upper Spencer

00:35Gulf that would feed water to BHP's Olympic Dam Mine. Environmental campaigner David Noonan

00:41says ending extraction from the basin should be a precondition to accessing the desal water.

00:47The Premier should be committing now to closure of the smaller Wellfield A that's located in

00:52the most adversely impacting place right among the springs themselves and put in place a plan

00:57to phase out the larger Wellfield B. In a statement a BHP spokesperson says it will end

01:03extraction from the Wellfield closest to the springs with the arrival of the desalination

01:07project, but that basin access may be retained as a contingency.

01:12These outback springs not only have cultural significance for the traditional owners, their

01:17isolation means they have unique flora and fauna that risks being lost if they dry up.

01:23Energy and Mining Minister Tom Coutson-Tonas says a final investment decision on the desalination

01:29plant still hasn't been made. In a statement he said negotiations with BHP are confidential,

01:34but he said if the desalination plant is built it will relieve reliance on the basin.

01:40Under current timelines the desalination plant will begin producing water in 2032.

01:46Energy and Mining Minister Tom Coutson-Tonas

01:52Energy and Mining Minister Tom Coutson-Tonas

01:54Energy and Mining Minister Tom Coutson-Tonas

01:56Energy and Mining Minister Tom Coutson-Tonas

01:58Energy and Mining Minister Tom Coutson-Tonas

02:00Energy and Mining Minister Tom Coutson-Tonas

02:02Energy and Mining Minister Tom Coutson-Tonas

02:04Energy and Mining Minister Tom Coutson-Tonas

02:06Energy and Mining Minister Tom Coutson-Tonas

02:08Energy and Mining Minister Tom Coutson-Tonas

02:10Energy and Mining Minister Tom Coutson-Tonas

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