Water Corporation documents reveal that the US mining company Alcoa prevented rangers from inspecting its bauxite mine sites in Perth's drinking water catchment in 2025. New fencing installed around the sites blocked access for water monitoring, according to the documents obtained by the WA Forest Alliance under freedom of information laws.
The documents show Water Corporation raised concerns in early 2025 that the fencing hindered rangers from conducting inspections. By later that year, inspectors still faced access issues, prompting the corporation to raise the matter with Alcoa executives. The WA Forest Alliance described the lack of oversight as alarming, given the reliance on these catchments for Perth's water supply.
Water Corporation was also frustrated that the Western Australian government stopped providing information about Alcoa's mining plans, making it harder to manage potential threats. A restructuring of advisory committees meant the corporation lost direct access to mining plans, which were deemed insufficient to assess future impacts when obtained via other channels.
An Alcoa spokesperson stated the company has never negatively impacted Perth's drinking water in over 60 years of operation and remains committed to protecting supplies. Both Water Corporation and the state government maintain that oversight continues through the Independent Technical Advisory Group, though conservation groups call for full access to monitor Alcoa's activities.
