Planning for New Sources of Water
| New sources of water | |
|---|---|
 Water Forever - 50-year planning for water and wastewater services | |
| Southern Seawater Desalination Plant | |
| Groundwater replenishment | |
| Wellington Dam | |
| Water for Perth from the Kimberley | |
|
There are no simple solutions or quick fixes when it comes to planning Western Australia’s water supplies. The Water Corporation puts great deal of effort into planning for our future needs and there are many aspects to consider.
These include:
- Climate change that has seen the water running into Perth’s dams drop by two thirds in the last seven years
- A 20% increase in 20 years in the amount of water we each use at home
- Population growth of 1.7% a year by 2031,
By 2031, Perth is expected to need an extra 150 gigalitres (thousand million litres) of water (equivalent to four Serpentine Dams).
This will be met by an integrated water cycle approach including new sources, efficiency measures, water recycling, water trading and catchment management. That said, any major new water sources will be more expensive than our traditional reliance on the dams in the Darling Range and groundwater sources close to Perth.
Investing in new water sources
The need for water restrictions following the severe drought of 2001 and 2002 has lead to a growing public focus on climate variability and impact on our water supplies.
The Water Corporation began to address declining rainfall in 1996. Concerned at poor rainfall over two decades we greatly accelerated a detailed source development plan based on Perth’s Water Future, a major study completed in 1995 that clearly identified water sources and demand 50 years ahead.
The plan sought to restore the balance in the system by 2002 with completion of the Harvey Dam being the final element. Unfortunately the drought of 2001 and 2002 required additional investment in new sources, taking the total investment to $665 million in a decade. During this period supply capacity has been doubled.
This rapid expansion of water supply sources was only possible because of the long term plans that have always guided the Water Corporation and its predecessors. Without them total sprinkler bans through the drought would have been unavoidable for Perth and the towns and communities supplied from the Goldfields pipeline.
| Additions to our water supply network since 1996 | Additional Water Available | Cost | |
| 1996 | Increased groundwater production and new borefields in Pinjar | 17.9 million kilolitres | $15 million |
| 1997 | New Trunk Main delivering water from Yokine to Wanneroo South Dandalup Pumpback | 6.9 million kilolitres | $37 million |
| 1999 | New borefields at Neerabup New state of the art pumping station at Belmont | 26 million kilolitres | $45 million |
| 2000 | Additional groundwater sources at Neerabup, South Whitfords and Lexia | 30.5 million kilolitres | $68 million |
| 2001 | Southern Trunk Main Harris Pumpback New dam in Harvey delivering new supplies from the South West to Perth | 34 million kilolitres | $275 million |
| 2002 | Three new bores in Perth's northern suburbs | 15 million kilolitres | $37 million |
| 2002 | New groundwater project in Mirrabooka | 6 million kilolitres | $10 million |
| 2003 | Samson Brook Pipehead Dam | 8-14 million kilolitres | $31 million |
| 2003 | Wellesley Creek Pumpback | 8 million kilolitres | $16 million |
| 2006 | Perth Seawater Desalination Plant | 130 megalitres per day | $387 million |