AS part of the PFAS investigation and management program affected Bullsbrook residents have received an update about what they need to do to be able to access scheme water at their properties.

The Department of Defence has said it will fund the connection of all residential properties to the scheme water network where those properties are within the Pearce air base management area and rely on bore water for household purposes.

Defence will provide construction of the scheme water infrastructure mains, connection of individual properties to scheme water infrastructure and necessary plumbing modifications to residences.

It will also provide reinstate disturbed ground following plumbing works to the extent practicable.

The connection process involves installing a point of connection to the new water service and plumbing works to connect the property with the mains point of connection.

Property owners who want to connect to scheme water need to sign a consent to enter property form.

Once the form is signed a Defence-approved civil contractor will be authorised to enter the property to start the process necessary to install a point of connection to the new scheme water service pipeline.

If Defence does not receive a signed consent to enter property form from the owner, a point of connection cannot be installed at the property and the property will not be connected to scheme water under Defence’s program.

At the community session in Bullsbrook on October 25 assistant Defence minister Matt Thistlethwaite said the federal government would now pay water usage and water service fees for eight years up from the previous commitment of six years.

In West Bullsbrook 188 properties will have the option to connect to the 14.2km pipeline with water supplied from the Ellenbrook tank.

Seventeen properties in South Bullsbrook will be able to connect and their water source will be a tank on Chittering Road.

The Department of Defence brochure available at the community session says the Water Corporation needs to carry out upgrades in Bullsbrook before the South Bullsbrook pipeline can be commissioned.

Construction of the West Bullsbrook pipeline requires trenching and horizontal drilling under the Tonkin Highway and the railway line at two locations.

Defence said to treat the water to Water Corporation standards a water treatment facility would be built on Robinson Road west of Tonkin Highway.

Construction of the scheme water infrastructure is forecast to start in April next year.