Landholders intending to install a desalination plant on their property are reminded to lodge a Notice of Intent to Pump Water (Desalination) with the Commissioner of Soil and Land Conservation before proceeding.
There has been significant interest in desalination to remove salt from groundwater to produce water suitable for livestock, crop spraying, horticulture irrigation and domestic use and to build self sufficient, secure water supplies.
In the past 18 months, 21 Notice of Intents for desalinisation have been lodged with the Commissioner from throughout the agricultural region.
A Notice is required at least 90 days before pumping commences to comply with Soil and Land Conservation Regulations (1992) to ensure land degradation does not occur as a result of the disposal of saline reject water.
Commissioner Cec McConnell said officers from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development would work with landholders to help them comply with requirements.
“Commercial desalination plants vary in operation but all produce product water that is low in salt concentration and reject water, which has a high salt concentration,” Ms McConnell said.
“It is important that when the reject water is discharged, whether it be onto other land, into waterways or waterbodies or re-injected into groundwater, it does not cause damage to the environment, like salinity and soil or water erosion, or negatively affect downstream neighbours.
“The Notice of Intent process includes a visit from one of our officers, who works with the landholder and provides advice on water disposal to avoid land degradation or impacting surrounding properties and crops.”
The Commissioner’s office has been liaising with commercial desalination plant retailers in Western Australia to ensure they are aware of the compliance requirements and the negative impacts from incorrect reject water disposal.
“We have had some very constructive discussions with retailers so they can make their customers aware of the land degradation risk and the compliance process associated with this significant investment,” Ms McConnell said.
An online Notice of Intent to Pump Water (Desalination) form can be found on the department’s website and includes questions about feedwater, product water and reject water, in addition to requirements for a plan and consultation with neighbours.
Failure to lodge a Notice of Intent is an offence and may leave landholders exposed to penalties under the Soil and Land Conservation Act.
For more information about groundwater desalination on farms in Western Australia, compliance and regulations, the benefits of reverse osmosis systems and more visit agric.wa.gov.au and search for ‘desalination’.
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