Yindjibarndi WaterCo is set to be the new owner of the Dampier seawater desalination plant (DSDP), with the WA Government and Rio Tinto advancing discussions with the Traditional Owner organisation.

This will see state-owned Water Corporation enter a long-term agreement with Yindjibarndi WaterCo for the supply of four billion litres of water each year, delivering drinking water for 10,000 homes in Karratha, Wickham, Roebourne, and Point Samson.

The DSDP will also be critical in times of lower rainfall, which has reduced levels in the nearby Harding Dam in recent years.

Under the ownership of the Yindjibarndi WaterCo, the Millstream and Bungaroo aquifers will be increasingly preserved, while environmentally and culturally significant water sources to the Yindjibarndi people and Robe River Kuruma people will be protected.

The WA Government, Rio Tinto, Yindjibarndi WaterCo and relevant Traditional Owner groups aim to reach binding agreements in the second half of 2026.

“The agreement results from the Yindjibarndi people’s longstanding drive to protect water on our Ngurra Country, and our goal to build shared understanding and shared responsibility,” Yindjibarndi WaterCo chair Michael Woodley said.

“This is another step on the Yindjibarndi path to self-determination by delivering a secure, long-term economic return and, over time, enabling us to grow operational capability through employment, training, and contracting arrangements.”

Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive Matthew Holcz echoed Woodley’s sentiment.

“Yindjibarndi WaterCo has developed a compelling proposal for the future of the Dampier seawater desalination plant,” he said.

“By working in partnership with Yindjibarndi WaterCo and the Western Australian Government on this arrangement, this project has the potential to create a lasting economic asset for the Yindjibarndi people, while supporting the long-term water needs of the West Pilbara.”

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