Across Australia and the world, governments are turning to desalination as the most reliable method of guaranteeing water supply for the long-term. A desalination plant has recently been commissioned in Perth, with another one planned, while the Gold Coast has begun construction and a new plant is planned for Sydney.
In announcing the construction of a plant near Wonthaggi, Water Minister, John Thwaites described desalination as a “drought-proof, guaranteed water supply independent of rainfall or climate change”.
Premier, Steve Bracks, said moving to desalination was about recognising “that climate change and record low rainfall demands a dramatic new approach to how we plan for Victoria’s water needs”.
Desalination turns sea water into drinking water by removing the salt and other impurities through a treatment process. The water produced for Melbourne will need to meet strict Australian Drinking Water Guidelines and Department of Human Services requirements.
Melbourne Water’s preliminary design for the plant includes tunnels under the coast to move the seawater to the plant and an 85 kilometre pipeline to connect the plant to the water supply network. This will be finalised as the detailed design is completed.
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Source: Seawater Desalination Feasibility Study, June 2007
Pipelines will also be built from the plant to the nearby towns of Wonthaggi and Phillip Island, ensuring secure water supply for these areas. A new pipe will also connect Geelong to the existing Melbourne system.
Desalination has been criticised for needing large amounts of energy for the treatment process. However, the State Government plans to offset the greenhouse emissions by purchasing renewable energy, making the plant carbon neutral.
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Melbourne’s storages 2002-2007
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