Supertanker plan to tackle crisis

Andrea Mayes | The Australian
June 23, 2005

A FLEET of supertankers could be used to carry 50billion litres of water 2300km from the vast untapped supplies in Western Australia's Kimberley region to Perth, in a bid to meet the city's desperate need for water.

Water expert Reg Appleyard said the supertanker proposal was one of eight being considered by a government-appointed panel investigating options to solve the state capital's water problems using supplies from the Kimberley.

Under the proposal, a fleet of three purpose-built solar-powered supertankers would draw water from the

mighty Ord River and harness some of the annual run-off from other local rivers and streams.

The ships would make constant return voyages to supply Perth with 50gigalitres a year - a sixth of the city's annual water needs. The fleet could be expanded to supply 200 gigalitres a year.

Professor Appleyard, the head of the expert panel that is due to report by the end of the year, said the amount of water in the Kimberley was incredible, with more than 33,000 gigalitres from the rivers and streams of the region pouring into the Timor Sea every year - the equivalent of 66 Sydney Harbours.

"We're talking about getting 137 gigalitres extra for Perth by 2050, when every year 33,000 gigalitres gushes out into the sea," Professor Appleyard said.

The sheer volume of water in the region was more than enough to meet Perth's needs, and it might be possible to export the excess to other parts of Australia and overseas.

Hinting that plans for harnessing the Kimberley water were being considered on a national level, Professor Appleyard said he had discussed the issue with "a significant citizen" in Canberra. "(He) said to me, 'Reg, don't get too much involved in the local issues ... but why don't you think broader, why don't you think about bringing water to Sydney?"'

Professor Appleyard's team is investigating four main alternatives for transporting water to Perth - via land in the form of a canal or pipeline, or by sea in solar-powered supertankers or in giant plastic bags towed behind ships.

The canal option - previously estimated to cost at least $2billion - relies on drawing water from the aquifer under the Fitzroy River, a source whose potential is so far unknown and is being investigated by the Department of Environment.

Proposed by defence and technology company Tenix, the canal idea was appropriated publicly and disastrously by former West Australian Opposition leader Colin Barnett, who promised to build it at any cost in the lead-up to February's state election.

The uncosted proposal was attacked as financially reckless and seen by many as a fatal flaw in Mr Barnett's campaign.

While Professor Appleyard would not be drawn on which option was emerging as a favourite, the land-based ideas require enormous infrastructure investment and engineering expertise, and face significant native title hurdles.

Whatever option is chosen, Professor Appleyard believes it could become a national blueprint for solving the country's water crisis.

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