Water

Our major source of water is rainfall which is captured and stored for later use on site

Our approach

Water is a precious resource that is essential to sustain social, environmental, agricultural and industrial demands.  These demands often compete for access to water resources and we must ensure that we use water in the most efficient way.

Access to water is critical to the ongoing successful operation of our sites.  We use water to wash coal during processing, to suppress dust, to cool equipment, for human consumption on site and to manage mineral waste streams.

Our water is sourced from rainfall on site, groundwater bores or pumped from an external source. The most significant source is water captured on site through rainfall and runoff which is stored for later use.

We use a combination of fresh and poorer quality water on site. Freshwater is defined as 'used' once it enters our operations and is either used or intended to be used for coal mining and processing.

We aim to minimise the use of freshwater by recycling water where possible. Runoff from undisturbed catchments is diverted around mining areas and back into natural watercourses wherever practicable. In-pit water captured on site is used in preference to freshwater.

Excess mine water that meets specific water quality criteria is discharged to the environment from our operations in accordance with our environmental approvals.

Water use in 2009

Freshwater use at our New South Wales operations increased compared with 2008. This increase is largely the result of a change in the way we account for water at our operations which involves including any rainfall that is captured and stored for use on site.

Our operations received significant rainfall early in the year which resulted in the controlled release of water from Hunter Valley Operations, Mount Thorley Warkworth, and Bengalla.