Perth’s water supply at ‘high risk’ from Alcoa bauxite mining, expert study finds

An analysis commissioned by Alcoa as part of its bid to mine an additional 67 sq km of jarrah forest for bauxite found it would pose a high risk to Perth’s water supply. Photograph: Miles Tweedie Photography/WA Forest Alliance

Alcoa’s plan to vastly expand its strip mining of forest near Perth’s dams poses a high risk to the water supply for the city’s 2.3 million people, according to global engineering consultancy GHD.

The US aluminium producer commissioned the detailed analysis as part of its bid for approval to mine an additional 67 sq km of jarrah forest for bauxite – the source material for aluminium.