Media Release
Northern Territory Government
Department of Logistics and Infrastructure Adelaide River Off-stream Water Storage Environmental Referral submitted to the NT EPA
Monday 13 January 2025
The Adelaide River Off-stream Water Storage (AROWS) project has reached a new milestone with an Environmental Referral submitted to the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NT EPA).
The AROWS project is part of the Darwin Region Water Supply Program which aims to deliver secure, reliable and cost-effective drinking water for the Darwin region, now and into the future. Currently in the planning and approvals phase, the project is subject to regulatory approvals and future investment decisions.
Giovina D’Alessandro, General Manager, Department of Logistics and Infrastructure said the Environmental Referral is the first step of a comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process.
“Progressing the project through the EIS process will ensure that the environmental impact of AROWS is considered at the highest level of assessment by undertaking the scientific, stakeholder engagement and regulatory processes required to deliver the project.
“It’s important for us to understand the public’s thoughts, issues and concerns as it plays an important role in informing how the AROWS project is developed.”
Territorians are invited to provide comment via https://ntepa.nt.gov.au/consultation [https://ntepa.nt.gov.au/consultation/adelaide-river-off-stream-water-storage]. The consultation period is open from 13 January until 25 February 2025.
The Environmental Referral will also be submitted to the Australian Government for assessment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. It is expected that the public comment period for this process will occur later in 2025.
Following the Environmental Referral, the NT Government will spend the next 2-3 years working with scientists, the local community, Aboriginal people, and other experts to better understand any information gaps and how to mitigate impacts.
The Environmental Referral process follows a comprehensive and robust Detailed Business Case assessment which found that overall, the benefits of this option to meet forecast water demand outweigh the costs.
The AROWS project proposes to store water in a natural basin-like ridge formation north of Lake Bennett. At low points in the basin, dam walls would be built to contain the water. Unlike traditional dams that block river flow, AROWS is designed to be completely off-stream and so would preserve the natural flow of the Adelaide River.
As an off-stream storage, AROWS would have a unique ability to control how and when water is extracted from the Adelaide River to fill the reservoir. This would be done under strict license conditions to ensure extraction responds to environmental requirements.
The planning and approval activities for the AROWS project is part of Stage 1 of the Darwin Region Water Supply Program, which is jointly funded by the Australian Government, through the National Water Grid Fund, and the NT Government. The AROWS project is being delivered in partnership with the Power and Water Corporation.
For more information on the project, visit [https://watersecurity.nt.gov.au/darwin-region-water-supply]
Media contact - [media.DLI@nt.gov.au] | 0437 868 115
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