MOD 2 - Underground brine storage

Tahmoor Coal will install a water treatment plant (wtp) by December 2023 that will treat underground water to a quality within ANZECC guidelines.
The implementation of the new WTP and brine storage underground has been assessed along with alternative options and is shown to have the most positive environmental outcomes including improvement of water quality in nearby waterways, whilst removing the impact of overland/road transport and the associated carbon footprint. The submission has the added benefit of reducing the burden on potable water supply.
I therefore strongly support this submission.

This looks like a good way to relocate a by product for a know improvement to the Sydney catchment.
Good idea all around

I believe the proposal to store brine in the used underground workings, where the brine material originated from in the first case, has a number of added environmental benefits. The brine will not require removal from the site, modelling has been undertaken which shows that doing this will negligible effects on groundwater. The Waste Water Treatment Plant which produces the brine will improve the water quality discharged from the site to meet ANZECC Guidelines, which ultimately flows into the Bargo river and local swimming holes, which is a fantastic result for the mine and the Wollondilly Shire

This modification will allow for onsite removal of the WTP by-product without the need to add more trucks on an already over stocked mostly single-laned Picton road. Also reducing emissions for site. With respect to the impact on groundwater, modelling has illustrated negligible environmental impacts.

I support this amendment that will allow the mine to continue to operate. Great solution to a mine that delivers jobs to the local community.

After reviewing the information supplied in the document, I feel that this course of action is the most environmentally friendly action to take. The alternative methods of disposal although reasonable seem to be a higher risk and involve numerous transport risks.

The project is a worthy project to allow the efficient use of the operation of the waste water treatment plant. It keeps trucks off local roads allowing Brine to stay onsite instead of being carted offsite in truck tankers. This option overall uses much less energy and hence less greenhouse effects, especially as not using diesel fuel to remove and dispose of the brine.
It is much better to contain and treat all waters onsite, as there is no long term detrimental effects to the environment with the proposal.

Please see attached submission

The storage of brine underground has the added environmental benefit of not having to transport the brine offsite for disposal.

I support this project as it will reduce the need /reliance on the Sydney water supply by recycling/storing existing water captured by the operation.

I am supportive of the proposal for the underground storage of the brine by-product. This is a much better option than transporting on the local roads with the current state these. And temporary storage of the Tahmoor South mine water to the Tahmoor North domain for reuse appears to be an efficient way of storing water and minimizing potable town water used by the mine.

I'm supportive of the underground storage of brine by-product from Tahmoor South mine water in old Tahmoor North mine workings rather than the alternative of trucking brine offsite. The increase of trucks on poor quality Wollondilly roads is not ideal and this modification proposal appears to find an efficient way to store the brine and water.

The proposal for the underground storage of the brine by-product is a much better option than transporting on the road and temporary storage of the Tahmoor South mine water to the Tahmoor North domain for reuse appears to be an efficient way of storing water and minimizing potable water used by the mine.

I am in support of the option for brine disposal underground into the Tahmoor North area mainly because:
1. It will result in a reduction of Tahmoor's use of town water
2. It is likely to result in lesser and better quality surface discharge
3. It will result in lesser environmental impact than offsite discharge, which will require vehicle transport to a discharge location, such as ocean discharge

Being a long time employee of Tahmoor Colliery and local resident, I see the management of Brine playing an important role in what will be a great benefit to the mine, community and environment. Overall, the mine aims to treat all underground groundwater to meet ANZECC guidelines, resulting in less stress on local waterways and Sydney Water. This enables Tahmoor Colliery to continue to operate in a sustainable manner, and continue to contribute economically to both local and state governments for the foreseeable future.

I support Mod 2 underground brine storage.
The construction of the reverse osmosis water treatment plant will provide an overall environmental benefit through the achievement of ANZECC guidelines for water discharged at LDP1. The use of the reverse osmosis technology was the only technology that was able to achieve the required water quality limits. The use of this technology will result in the production of brine.
End use options for the brine were carefully considered by Tahmoor Coal. The only reasonable and feasible options identified were disposal of the brine in the underground void of the mine, or ocean outfall. This modification seeks approval for the underground storage of brine, which has the significant additional benefit of not requiring transportation offsite.
Detailed water modelling has been undertaken by the relevant technical experts, as provided within the Modification Report, which illustrates negligible environmental impacts from the storage of water in the underground void of Tahmoor North.
Therefore, the overall outcome of this project is positive for the local community that use the local waterways with no impact on bore users.

• Tahmoor Coal has a requirement from the EPA to install a Water Treatment Plant (WTP) by December 2023
• The overall benefit of the Water Treatment Plant is improved water quality discharge to meet ANZECC Guidelines to Tea Tree Hollow which flows into the Bargo River and the local swimming points (eg Mermaid Pools)
• The storage of brine underground has the added environmental benefit of not having to transport the brine offsite for disposal
• The modification is also seeking the transfer and temporary storage of Tahmoor South mine water in the Tahmoor North domain for re-use. This will reduce the requirement for the use of potable town water from the Sydney Water supply

Tahmoor colliery has put forward practicable and safe solution for their brine disposal backed by technical experts. The water discharged from the water treatment plant meets ANZECC which is an improvement over current discharged water.