Water decision in the pipeline

The Times last week reported a senior Water Corporation

official’s comments that the State Government faced a choice between building a $1 billion desalination plant in Perth’s north or using treated wastewater to replenish the Gnangara aquifer “though it seems likely both measures will be needed.

The Water Corporation has a goal to get half of Perth’s water from desalination and half from groundwater by 2022 to ‘drought-proof’ the city.

Drawing more water from the Gnangara aquifer without

replacing it will cause further environmental degradation.

The results from the groundwater replenishment trial, where treated wastewater is pumped back into the aquifer, have been described as

positive.

Expect an announcement from the State Government on groundwater replenishment soon and perhaps a decision on another desalination plant, quite likely in the northern suburbs, not long after.