Brackish groundwater resources, which contain elevated salt levels, are alternative water resources that can be desalinated and used when freshwtare sources are low or unavailable. Their use can secure water supply for communities, agricultural production, and other industrial uses where freshwater is scarce. Brackish water desalination offers several advantages over desalination of highly saline water, including higher water recovery rates, lower energy requirements, and reduced brine stream volumes.

Despite these potential benefits, research into brackish groundwater resources in Australia and their suitability for desalinisation has been limited. CSIRO has undertaken a study to identify and characterise brackish groundwater resources in Western Australia and evaluate further opportunities for their desalination and use.

This project, funded by the Australian Government through the National Water Grid, addressed key challenges facing brackish groundwater desalination, including:

  1. brackish groundwater resource characterisation (occurrence, chemical composition and suitability for desalination)
  2. available desalination technologies and inland brine management options, and
  3. energy source availability, including consideration of current and future climate conditions.

The project evaluated brackish groundwater in Western Australia (WA) based on its occurrence, potential availability, and suitability for desalination. The analyses conducted were based on available groundwater information and allocation data established by the state’s Department of Water and Environmental Regulation. These datasets contain inherent uncertainties; therefore, the project results should be considered as providing a high-level overview at a state scale.

The project took a closer look at a number of regional opportunities for the use of brackish groundwater. These were: