The Department of Defence has again been questioned on the provision of water treatment plants to provide PFAS free drinking water for Katherine.
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Defence officials were questioned at a Senate estimates hearing in Canberra this week.
Lead defence spokesman Steve Grzeskowiak said Defence had acted to install its own treatment plants at the Tindal RAAF Base seperate from plans for a larger plant at Katherine.
In answer to questions from Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, Mr Grzeskowiak said there was an agreement between Defence and the NT Government’s Power and Water on the roll out of the plants.
Katherine will remain on water restrictions until at least the end of next year until a new plant is sourced from the US and installed in Katherine.
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Mr Grzeskowiak again said Defence had agreed to pay for the plant, capable of treating Katherine’s entire water supply, but Power and Water were negotiating to buy the plant.
Senator McCarthy has pressed for copies of the ‘agreement’ between the NT Government and Defence.
Residents have raised questions on who made the decision for Katherine to have to wait for a plant while Tindal’s plants, designed to treat contaminated water from the fire training area, are already being built.
Mr Grzeskowiak said there were “two parallel processes” operating with Power and Water largely responsible for the Katherine plant.
He said the ongoing negotiations between Defence and the NT Government would not slow the expected installation of the Katherine plant late next year.
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