West Pilbara Integrated Water Efficiency
West Pilbara, WA
Total funding: Total project cost of $8.1 million, with funding of $4.05 million from the Australian Government under the National Water Security Plan for Cities and Towns and the remaining funding provided by the Western Australia Water Corporation.
About the project
As water use in the West Pilbara region is high, there is considerable scope to reduce potable water use. This project will implement an integrated water efficiency program incorporating a behaviour change program, retrofitting, water recycling and an active leakage detection and repair program. It will also improve Karratha Water Recycling Capacity and Conveyance Scheme by adding treatment infrastructure, additional stand-pipes, pipes, pumps, storage tanks and other infrastructure to supply new customers and additional supply capacity to existing customers to meet water quality requirements for recycling. The project will also facilitate increased recycled water usage for oval and golf course irrigation and dust suppression by industry.
Project benefits
This project will:
- reduce potable water demand across the West Pilbara District by an estimated 1,107 million litres each year. The Karratha upgrade will also offset 153 million litres of potable water each year
- provide economic benefits through potential deferment of water supply and wastewater treatment infrastructure, energy usage, and water and wastewater treatment costs, and
- improve environmental benefits through reduced surface water and groundwater extraction and reduced energy usage.
Progress
The project commenced on 19 August 2010 and is scheduled for completion by 30 June 2012.
Links
- Securing water supplies for Western Australia – media release 9 June 2010
- Western Australia Water Corporation