Water Crisis

Due to Western Australia’s ‘water crisis’ the State Government needs to ensure future water availability for our anticipated increase in population over the next ten years. This may well be the most significant problem to face our state. Western Australia’s choices and preferences for water management for the next ten years are included in this essay which provides solutions for the water crisis. Key solutions include, but are not limited to, desalination, water efficient use and water trading. As demand for water increases our sustainable management of water resources must be modified to ensure water for the future. The following evidence details the most current and innovative information available in Western Australia for the supply of water in the state, and the challenge of meeting the demand for water for the populace.

Desalination plants are envisioned to become cheaper to build and run because the desalination process is continuing to evolve. Rice and Madden (2007, 2008) of Science Network WA, report a recent scientific breakthrough by Perth based scientist, Professor Ric Pashley of Murdoch University, who has patented a new process. This desalination process allows the molecular properties of salt and water to create a method of separating the two which, for the first time, can be done at low temperatures. Rice and Madden (2007, 2008) also reported this would dramatically reduce the cost and carbon emissions of desalination thus resulting in desalination plants being cheaper to build and cheaper to run. There will also be less impact on the environment (Rice 2007, Madden 2008). At this stage Professor Pashley hopes to have a pilot plant, up and running, to test his technique during 2008 (Rice, 2007). The Water Corporation reports the Southern Desalination Plant, planned to be operational in Binningup in 2011, will have a capacity of 50 gigalitres per year, with the potential to increase its output to 100 gigalitres annually through future...