Industry taking part in major water recycling initiative

4/11/04
Premier Geoff Gallop today officially opened the Kwinana Water Reclamation Plant - a new project aimed at greatly reducing industry demand on Perth's public water supply scheme.
The opening of the recycling plant forms another vital part of the Gallop Government's diversified approach to securing the State's future water sources.
Dr Gallop said the plant enabled the reuse of water that would otherwise be pumped into the ocean.
"At the same time, it is greatly reducing industry's demand for water from the public supply scheme," he said.
"It will allow an additional six million kilolitres of water to be available annually for the public scheme. It will also double the level of water recycling in Perth, from three per cent to six per cent."
The plant is taking wastewater from the Water Corporation's nearby Woodman Point Wastewater Treatment plant and treating it to a much higher quality for use by local industries.
"This project is a big win for local industry, the community and the environment and will reduce the amount of treated wastewater discharged into the sensitive marine environment of Cockburn Sound by about six million litres per day," the Premier said.
"It is a great way to increase efficiency in our use of scarce water supplies."
The plant, built by the Water Corporation at a cost of about $28.5million, used highly sophisticated filtration and reverse osmosis technology, and was designed so that it could be expanded to meet future growth demand.
Dr Gallop said it was the largest plant of its kind in Australia and was the latest initiative in a series that represented a new approach to confronting Western Australia's dry climate.
"We are looking beyond the square, and finding ways to keep the water flowing reliably as our climate becomes even hotter and drier, as predicted," he said.
Initiatives undertaken by the Gallop Government include:

• the construction of a major seawater desalination plant;
• the water rebate program for households;
• the creation of additional capacity from our traditional underground and surface sources;
• water trading within farms in the South-West;
• household sprinkler restrictions since 2001; and
• water metering on stressed parts of the Gnangara Mound.

The Government will also continue to assess the feasibility of the huge South-West Yarragadee aquifer.
The Kwinana recycling plant will help WA achieve 20 per cent recycling of treated wastewater by 2012 - a target set in the State Water Strategy.
The plant is initially supplying high quality water to HIsmelt. Other major customers in the near future include BP, CSBP, Edison Mission Energy and Tiwest.
The plant was constructed as part of the Kwinana WaterLink Project, conducted jointly by local industry, Government regulators and the Water Corporation, to improve water use efficiency in one of the State's major water using areas.
A range of interested parties, including local authorities and the Kwinana Industries Council, supported the project, which is also aimed at providing better management of the sensitive marine environment.
Premier's office: 9222 9475