methods for future water supply options in the city of Perth,Australia?

Answer 1

The idea of desalinisation plants is the most current in the political circle of things, on both your side of the continent and mine...

However, desal plants are (a) horrendously expensive; (b) horrendously energy-hungry and (c) too far into the future to be a real solution now. IF we were to start building one today it would be about 10 - 15 years before it came on line. The best case scenario is that there won't be enough political will for about 8 to 10 years, which means the first litre of desalinised water won't be around for 25 years. Plus there's the whole global warming debate raging at the moment which means the extra energy probably won't be available anyway.

SO the best solution has been made by The Greens - and that is to subsidise the installation of water tanks in EVERY suburban home. NOW. The cost has been estimated to be about 10% of a desal plant too! This will be a long term, resource-, financial- and energy- efficient solution, but because it's coming from the Greens, it's unlikely to find political favour!!!

There's the concept of recycling waste water for the non-essential tasks such as toilets and gardens...which will save about 10 - 20%; but the idea has lost ground because the opponents of such plans have spread the rumour that we'll be forced to drink it. Load of nonsense, quite frankly.

Installing waterless toilets in every home would be another viable way of cutting down on consumption. I've provided a link at the bottom of this rave for you....

What will happen? The most likely thing is that the water supply situation in most of the large urban areas in Australia will hit a crisis point in the next ten years and the only solution will be to start trucking it from high rainfall areas - in WA this would be the South West. The cost is going to be horrific - drinking water will be in the region of $2 per litre.

I'm just glad I live in Hobart, where we still don't even have water meters!!! The supply from the Derwent River is secure and isn't likely to change much in the forseeable future.

Hope this helps!

Love and Light,

Jarrah

Answer 2

Water Desalinization Plants