Desalination

Environmental Effects

Effect of Brine Stream Discharge from Desalination

Brine discharge (a byproduct of the desalination process) is composed of not only concentrated salt, but also of industrial chemicals and heavy metals swept out of the plant by this highly corrosive fluid. 

Professor Jorg Imberger, chairman of the Centre for Water Research at UWA, believes the brine stream being pumped out of the Kwinana desalination plant in WA will result in a massive 40 per cent of Cockburn Sound being covered in salt and eventually dying.

Source: www.ce.utexas.edu/prof/hodges/project_pages/project_desalination_brine.htm

Energy Use

The proposed Wonthaggi desalination plant in Victoria would be the largest in the Southern Hemisphere generating at least 924,990 tonnes of CO2 equivalent gas per year. This is equivalent to having 205,553 more cars on the road.

*Plant operating 24 hours a day - 7 days a week. Plant powered by brown coal electricity.

Legal Ramifications

Any major desalination project cannot proceed without an environment effects statement and associated public inquiry. It would also need approval under the Federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. Any fast-tracking of these normal processes can be challenged legally.

Other Environmental Effects

The Californian Coastal Commision lists these potential impacts of
desalination plants on the environment:

-Potential Coastal Zone Impacts
-Air quality
-Commercial and recreational fishing
-Construction impacts on land and marine species and habitats
-Energy use
-Growth-inducing effects
-Marine resources impacts from feedwater intake and ocean discharge
-Navigation
-Noise
-Potential hazardous releases from accidents
-Public access
-Recreation
-Visual quality
-Water quality
-Water quantity (e.g., effects of drawdown or saltwater intrusion of
groundwater wells)
-Cumulative impacts

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Campaign

The Clean Ocean Foundation opposes the construction of desalination plants anywhere on Australia's coastline. The Foundation will endevour to challenge the construction of these plants, study the impacts of existing operations and raise awareness of their damaging environmental effects.

Source: www.cormix.info/picgal/brine.php

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