MOD 11 - water management during MPPS outages

This mod is essential to continue providing a reliable affordable power supply.
The company (Centennial) has been committed to improving its water quality and has invested heavily in infrastructure achieve this.

please see attached submission

Centennial has gone to significant effort and invested in industry best infrastructure to ensure discharged water quality is as good as reasonably practicable
Centennial has a long history of continual improvement in improving water quality
The MOD is critical for long term energy supply to MPPS

Centennial has a long history of pursuing sustainable water management practices and policies.
Approval of this submission will have a positive impact on the local community and jobs in the area, via improved viability of current and future projects.

In support of the project it is critical to know that

- Centennial has gone to significant effort and invested in industry best infrastructure to ensure discharged water quality is as good as reasonably practicable
- Centennial has a long history of continual improvement in improving water quality
- The MOD is critical for long term energy supply to MPPS

In support of the project it is critical that its approved as for the following reasons:
• Centennial has gone to significant effort and invested in industry best infrastructure to ensure discharged water quality is as good as reasonably practicable
• Centennial has a long history of continual improvement in improving water quality
• The MOD is critical for long term energy supply to MPPS

Please find the attached further submission as an objection to Springvale Water Treatment Plant SSD 7592 Mod11, from Keith Muir, on behalf of Wilderness Australia.

I support the project as Centennial has been a long term employer for the western district area.
I have been employed with the company for nearly 39 years & Centennial has proven to me to take environmental issues very seriously & have shown to be committed to completing Mine site rehabiliation to a very high standard while maintaining environmental compliance including water management to meet EPA licences criteria & requirements.
If Springvale & Angus Place Collieries were unable to continue short & long term operations this would have a devasting affect on the local area employment, negative social impacts & reduced electricity grid supply to support the ongoing requirement to power our homes & growing economy.

This water management needs to occur to ensure long term energy supply to MPPS and secure jobs now and in future in the Western Region.

I believe this is a significantly important project as it is vital for our energy production and also it is important for the future employment of its employees. I know first hand that this company does everything possible to protect the environment affected by its projects.

I am a Centennial Coal, Springvale employee and this project will help with myself and many others in keeping our jobs safe.

I object to the project for the following reasons:
a. Its impact upon Sydney's drinking water, and the ecological value of the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.
b. It will exacerbate the pollution of the Sydney water drinking catchment. The proposed discharge quantities would result in a huge increase in the pollution, heavy metal and salinity in the receiving environment.
c. If granted, dilution and discharge of water from Thompsons Creek Reservoir during off line maintenance periods may stay in place for the life of the power station, which is until the 2040s.
If approval is recommended, the applicant should be required to:
1. Treat mine water to ensure that any discharge fully removes contaminants like heavy metals, salt and brine.
2. significantly reduce the mining intensity at its underground coal mines to protect the natural environment and to reduce the volume of wastewater sent to Mt. Piper power station.
3. A stringent and consistent independent monitoring regime should be imposed, particularly in light of numerous breaches across the Greater Blue Mountains region.
4. There should be a viable plan to safely divert mine water if monitoring reveals higher than expected salinity levels.

I support of the modification it is critical to the water supply for power generation for NSW from Mt Piper Power Station.
Centennial has gone through significant engineering and invested in industry best infrastructure to ensure discharged water quality is as good as reasonably practicable.
Centennial has always been committed to the continual improvement in improving water quality discharged from its site to assist with water quality limits that have been set.

I support this proposal. MPPS plays a critical role in supplying the national electricity grid and Centennial plays a critical role in supporting MPPS. The outage will put significant strain on Centennial's ability to maintain water storage within safe levels, and the ongoing future of Centennial. Refusal of this proposal will result in further destabilisation of the national electricity grid.

• Centennial has gone to significant effort and invested in industry best infrastructure to ensure discharged water quality is as good as reasonably practicable
• Centennial has a long history of continual improvement in improving water quality
• The MOD is critical for long term energy supply to MPPS

I am writing in support of Centennial Springvale’s proposed project modification (MOD11), which is essential for maintaining safe and sustainable water management during the upcoming Mount Piper Power Station outage. Supporting MOD11 is not just about addressing immediate water management concerns, it is also critical for the long-term stability of energy supply to Mount Piper Power Station. I strongly support this temporary modification and encourage its approval to safeguard both environmental and operational outcomes during this critical period.

Centennial has gone to significant effort and invested in industry best infrastructure to ensure discharged water quality is as good as reasonably practicable

I would like to register my support for the Springvale Mod 11 project.
The Mod 11 project is critical to ensuring the ongoing viability of Springvale colliery, which has been a major contributor to both the local and state economy over many years, and is a major employer in the Lithgow region.
Without approval of the Mod 11 project the safety and livelihoods of hundreds of workers would be put at risk, not to mention the inability to supply coal to local Mount Piper Power Station, which helps keep the lights on in NSW.

I hold an Honours degree in zoology and worked for 16 years as an environmental consultant specialising in freshwater ecology. I am concerned about many aspects of the proposal.
I object to the proposal on the following grounds:
(1) heavy metals, salt and other pollutants in the waste water will reduce biodiversity in the creek, reservoir and downstream Cox's River
(2) altered flow regimes from the rapid, sustained release of large volumes of water will reduce instream biodiversity adapted to seasonal patterns of stream flow.
Creek and river ecosystems are habitat for aquatic invertebrates (including the larval stages of many terrestrial insects), crustaceans, molluscs and other groups.
These animals provide food for other native animals (including platypus and waterbirds, and terrestrial birds and bats (when the aquatic insect larvae emerge).
Many scientific studies have shown that pollution and altered natural flow patterns reduce this instream diversity. We should therefore not be treating creeks as mere drains for the ill-considered disposal of polluted water.
Additionally, the rapid, sustained release of large volumes of water into creeks contributes to bank erosion and the mobilisation of sediments, which further deplete biodiversity and environmental amenity.
Ideally, the proponents should explore options to treat *all* of the extracted groundwater, and release it to the ecosystem according to natural flow patterns, or store it and return it to the aquifers.

The Mining and power industry in the Lithgow region has been integral to the success of the area and has provided numerous benefits to all the localities that support these industries.
There has been significant time money and effort in addressing the water issues in and around Springvale Colliery, Angus Place, Mount Piper Power Station and Coal services. Springvale Colliery has been and will continue to be an important supplier of coal to Mount Piper Power Station.
I support the Modification 11 to SSD-7592. Centennial has always considered the interest's of the communities that they are in and I trust that they will continue to act in this way.