The Water Corporation of Western Australia is poised to begin feasibility studies for a seawater desalination plant off the coast of Alkimos, north of Perth.
The utility estimates that by 2030, the state of Western Australia will require 70 to 100 gigalitres of additional, climate-independent water to fulfil water demand.
The state’s future water plan, which covers 50 years ahead, envisages water preservation initiatives, and expansion of its groundwater replenishment scheme, and deep groundwater network; as well as an increase in capacity at two existing desalination plants in Kwinana and Binningup, and investigating the potential for two new desalination plants – at Alkimos and Kwinana.
The survey off the coast of Alkimos will begin on 17 September 2018, comprising three weeks of seismic testing to collect data from the seabed, and five weeks core-sampling of the seabed.
Australia’s demand for desalination jumps amid drought (August 2018)