Sydney taps turn on to seawater this week

[depakid]

Sydney will get its first taste of desalinated water this week. About 1.5 million residents in the city's inner west, east and Sutherland Shire will get some or all of their drinking water from the $1.9 billion seawater treatment plant at Kurnell.

Potable water is already being produced at the plant as part of a final five-day test that is taking place before water is pumped into Sydney homes. The water being produced as part of the test is being pumped back into the ocean. Sydney Water confirmed on Friday that the plant was nearly operational.

''We anticipate the first water to be pumped from here in the next week,'' said a Sydney Water spokesman, Brendan Elliott.

Treated water will be pumped from the plant to Erskineville, where it will merge with the main metropolitan water supply.

The plant will come online in stages - its dozen reverse osmosis membranes, which purify the seawater, will be turned on in pairs. All 12 membranes may be operational by April. When the plant is running at full capacity it will supply 15 per cent of Sydney's daily water needs.

More: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/water-issues/taps-turn-on-to-seawater-this-week-20100123-mrnz.html

A 67-turbine wind farm at Bungendore in NSW has been purpose-built to generate enough renewable energy to offset the energy use of the plant.

Under the Conditions of Approval for the seawater intakes and outlets, Sydney Water is required to implement a Marine and Estuarine Monitoring Program.

The program provides marine and estuarine information for the design, construction and operation of the desalination plant including intakes and outlets. The program also monitors the impacts of these activities on the marine and estuarine environment.

The program includes monitoring during the design phase, pre and post commissioning, construction and ongoing monitoring during operation.

http://www.sydneywater.com.au/Water4Life/Desalination/renewableenergy.cfm

[hlthe2b]

1. This is great.... Doesn't Israel already rely somewhat on desalination

for part of their water? It is going to be needed more and more..

[Bobbieo]

2. I remember my husband talking about his 'Israeli guests ' at the Yuma

DeSalting Plant some 30 years ago operated by the Bureau of Reclamation. He was Chief of Information, there.

[aquart]

3. I knew they needed to do this.

I'm so glad to see they were ready. They are going to fight to keep that continent arable.