Water Trigger FAQ
Tamboran's history with water
Tamboran Resources can’t be trusted with our water. Right now, in the middle of the wet season, Tamboran is using open ponds at risk of flooding to store their toxic frack waste water. Earlier this year, hundreds of dead fish washed up downstream from multiple fracking sites, with heavy metal detected through water testing.
In 2022 they were fined for using 300,000 litres of untreated wastewater to suppress dust ahead of big rains. Contractors came forward to share that they were instructed to keep spraying drill water despite Tamboran knowing it was contaminated. In the same year a bund wall broke at the site during flooding, spilling sediment and potentially toxic chemicals down towards a sacred waterway. Investigations were also launched for what appeared to be the alleged pumping of possibly contaminated water into a cattle breeding paddock.
What is the water trigger?
The water trigger is a law within the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act that requires any large coal mining or coal seam gas project that may have significant impact on water resources to be referred to the regulator for assessment.
Fracking requires very large volumes of water and represents a significant risk of contamination and dewatering. Water resources at risk in the Beetaloo include:
- Numerous groundwater sources that will be drilled through to reach the shale
- The Cambrian Limestone Aquifer which is targeted for significant water extraction for fracking
- Multiple surface water sources including the sacred waterway Newcastle Creek and surface water sources connected to the Cambrian Limestone Aquifer (eg the Roper River and Mataranka Hot Springs). The project would be built upstream of Lake Woods - the NT’s largest freshwater lake and a place of immense cultural significance for Traditional Owners
Wait, I thought she used the water trigger? Isn’t this a good thing?
Tanya Plibersek has not pulled the water trigger. Instead, she has ordered an independent assessment of the potential water impacts from fracking in the Beetaloo Basin. This decision from Tanya Plibersek is a (small) win for our movement. It shows she is feeling the pressure to act and speak out. However, it doesn’t go far enough.
It does not stop Tamboran from fracking while the assessment is made, and will be drawn out into next year - giving Tamboran plenty of time to start fracking. An independent assessment of the water impacts is a great thing - and would be part of the process once the water trigger is used.
We need Minister Plibersek to take an action that stops fracking right now. She has the power to do that by using the water trigger.
