ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE OF THE ADELAIDE DESALINATION PLANT

摘要

Desalination has come to the fore in Australia as a means of "water-proofing" Australian coastal cities against drought. The construction of large desalination plants along Australia's coastline has generated considerable public debate, which has required plant operators to provide assurance that a strong core value in the developments is the protection of the local environment. Marine monitoring studies undertaken for the Adelaide Desalination Project have shown that the saline waste stream discharged to the marine environment rapidly disperses, and dissolved oxygen concentrations adjacent to the outfall are conducive to maintaining a healthy aquatic ecosystem. The project has been successful in terms of meeting its operational and environmental commitments.