The Western Australian government has announced a $12.4 million investment to support the long-term sustainability of groundwater from the Millstream aquifer, "helping to secure the Pilbara's water future".
On Wednesday, the government said work will be undertaken by Water Corporation under a new partnership agreement with Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation, and in collaboration with the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, to relocate or recommission groundwater bores to reduce pressure on the water source.
The government said its aim is to "optimise usage across the aquifer while lessening the effects to culturally and ecologically significant sites" within the Millstream Chichester National Park.
Other work will include fitting bores with solar-powered battery systems with diesel backup to reduce noise interference at sites.
The Yindjibarndi people hold a deep cultural and spiritual connection to the Millstream aquifer, which has been affected by reduced rainfall and recharge.
Recognising the effects of reduced groundwater recharge, in 2022 the WA government lowered abstraction limits from Millstream aquifer from 15 billion litres annually to six billion litres, with a temporary three billion-litre contingency.
However, in November last year the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation petitioned the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to conduct an assessment of the environmental and cultural impacts of the Water Corporation's extractions from the aquifer.
At the time, the Corporation's chief executive Michael Woodley, warned that the continued reliance on the aquifer had occurred without consultation or consent from Yindjibarndi Traditional Owners and had led to severe environmental and cultural consequences for the Yindjibarndi Nation.
Today, Harding Dam - the region's primary drinking water source - is 20 per cent full, with just eight billion litres of streamflow recorded last financial year, which was 90 per cent below long-term averages. This has increased reliance on groundwater to supply essential drinking water to Karratha, Wickham, Dampier, Roebourne, and Point Samson.
On Wednesday the government said that as part of its commitment to secure water future in a drying climate, it is "progressing investigations into larger-scale supply options to meet the region's long-term drinking water needs, support community growth, and enable economic development".
Aboriginal Affairs Minister Don Punch, who also holds the key portfolios of Water and Climate Resilience, said the WA government is "committed to securing the Pilbara's long-term water future and for communities across the State".
"This investment will support improved management of water abstraction from the Millstream aquifer," he said.
"It will also ensure that water is abstracted in a way that respects the cultural and environmental significance of the aquifer to the Yindjibarndi people.
"This collaboration between Water Corporation, the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation, and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation reflects our shared commitment to protecting the Millstream aquifer, while supporting the growing region and economic development."
Pilbara MLA Kevin Michel noted that Millstream is part of the Pilbara's identity.
"It's a place of deep cultural meaning for the Yindjibarndi people and an important natural system," he said.
"This investment will help us better understand and manage water demand responsibly, supporting communities and jobs without compromising the environment."
Minister for the Pilbara Amber-Jade Sanderson said the region is powering WA's economy and "attracting more people every year, which means water demand is increasing for homes and industry".
"Finding sustainable solutions to water management, in collaboration with Traditional Owners, is vital to securing the Pilbara's industrial future and ensuring it remains an attractive region to live and raise a family," she said.
