Statement of Planning Policy No 2.2 - Gnangara Groundwater Protection.

The objectives of the policy are to: Ensure that all land use changes in the policy area are compatible with the long-term protection and management of groundwater quality and quantity for public drinking water supply, in accordance with priority source protection area classification objectives; Protect groundwater quality and quantity in order to maintain the dependent ecosystems, ecological values and integrity of wetlands and native vegetation, in accordance with recognized conservation values; and Protect and/or enhance the quality and quantity of groundwater, in accordance with accepted water quality guidelines and standards for the following uses: domestic human use; industry; agriculture; recreation and aesthetics. In the Metropolitan Region Scheme and underground water pollution control areas over the Gnangara mound: Priority 1: water source protection areas will be reserved for Water Catchments; Priority 2: water source protection areas will be zoned for Rural–Water Protection; and Priority 3: water source protection areas will remain as their existing zone or reserve.
This policy applies only to the Gnangara, Wanneroo and Mirrabooka underground water pollution control areas as recommended in the Gnangara strategy and shown in Figure 1. It applies to all land use activities on zoned and reserved land, recreational land uses, and public purpose undertakings in the policy area. The policy area extends into the Cities of Wanneroo and Swan and the Shires of Gingin and Chittering.
A priority classification system exists for all gazetted public drinking water source areas to manage activities that may cause groundwater pollution or significant contamination. Priority 1 source protection areas are defined and managed to ensure there is no degradation of the water resource in these areas. This is the highest level of protection for the water source and normally will apply to land owned by the state, and is characterized by low-intensity and low-risk land use, such as forestry. Protection of the public water supply outweighs virtually all other considerations in respect to the use of this land in accordance with the principle of risk avoidance. Priority 2 source protection areas are defined to ensure that there is no increased risk of pollution to the water source. These areas are declared over land where low-risk development already exists. Protection of public water supply sources is a high priority in these areas in accordance with the principle of risk minimisation and conditional development is allowed. Priority 3 source protection areas are defined to manage the risk of pollution to the water source. These areas are declared over land where water supply sources need to co-exist with other land uses such as residential, commercial and light industrial developments. However, there are some restrictions on potentially high polluting uses. Protection of priority 3 areas is otherwise achieved through management guidelines for land use activities.