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Green plans for town’s waste water

Headshot of Elise Van Aken
Elise Van AkenThe Kimberley Echo
Ord Irrigation Cooperative manager Mat Dear said it would back the plan to redirect treated human effluent to the Lake Kununurra Golf Course.
Camera IconOrd Irrigation Cooperative manager Mat Dear said it would back the plan to redirect treated human effluent to the Lake Kununurra Golf Course. Credit: Cally Dupe/The Kimberley Echo

An East Kimberley horticulturist has praised plans for Kununurra’s waste water to be used to improve the golf club’s greens, saying it would save local farmers money on its disposal.

A business case, commissioned by the Water Corporation, was recently completed showing the benefits to the local economy and the beautification of the town which could be achieved if treated human effluent was used to water the Lake Kununurra Golf Course.

The waste water would be diverted from its current disposal through the Ord Irrigation system, where it costs farmers thousands of dollars per year to stop the algal growth it causes.

Existing view of the Lake Kununurra Golf Course green.
Camera IconExisting view of the Lake Kununurra Golf Course green. Credit: crafter + mogford golf course architecture

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Ord Irrigation Cooperative manager Mat Dear said it would back any plan which would put Kununurra’s waste water to “productive use” and save irrigators money managing it.

The Ord Irrigation Cooperative provides water management services to farms in stage one of the Ord River Irrigation Area and maintains irrigation and drainage infrastructure to the general public.

“Ord Irrigation is very supportive of any proposal to put effluent to productive use, particularly with a party who is very eager to use it,” he said.

“We are supportive of someone who wants it. We are receiving it, and we don’t want it.

“Let’s give it to them. The plan would greatly benefit agricultural water users and have positive financial benefit to growers, as well as have other positive beautification benefits for the town.”

Proposed view of the green.
Camera IconProposed view of the green. Credit: crafter + mogford golf course architecture

Excess waste water, particularly in the wet season, would be used by the Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley on verges and entryways into the town, particularly from near the diversion dam and past the airport, to create a more appealing and green welcome for tourists and other visitors.

The project has been backed by the Shire, which manages the land the golf club leases, with $2 million allocated in the 2021/2022 budget for the reticulation work.

SWEK president David Menzel said he was pleased to hear the Water Corporation intended to continue to work with the local partners on this proposed project.

“The further development of the golf course precinct is part of the Shire’s vision for Kununurra,” he said.

“There are certainly opportunities for the Shire to enhance the quality of public open spaces with the delivery of the project.

“Infrastructure improvements such as this proposal can be extremely significant enablers for growth and prosperity in a community.

“Golf courses, in good climates, can attract significant new visitation, especially when linked into surrounding golf courses, such as Broome and Darwin.”

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