A splash of success: 100 billion litres of groundwater replenished
We’ve hit a major milestone by recharging 100 billion litres of purified recycled water into our groundwater aquifers. That’s the same as filling 100 Optus Stadiums!
Groundwater is important for Western Australia. It provides around 40% of our drinking water and supports industries, gardening and public green spaces. However, climate change has significantly reduced rainfall since 1980, causing groundwater levels to drop significantly.
Rino Trolio, Head of Treatment and Resource Recovery (TARR), highlighted the importance of groundwater replenishment in dealing with climate change.
"We've had to come up with new ideas in Western Australia, like the Groundwater Replenishment Scheme, to use less rainwater. Adding water back into the ground helps us get drinking water in a sustainable way. By adding water through the scheme, we can take the same amount of groundwater from other places. This helps make sure the groundwater we use for drinking is sustainable.” Rino said.
The Groundwater Replenishment (GWR) scheme can add 28 billion litres of purified water to the groundwater each year. It was the first of its kind in Australia and one of only three in the world when it started. Since 2017, the GWR scheme purifies treated wastewater from the Beenyup Water Resource Recovery Facility to drinking water standards at the Advanced Water Recycling Plant (AWRP). This purified water is then recharged into underground aquifers, further filtered and used to sustain vital ground water resources.
Let’s keep innovating and protecting our precious water resources for future generations!