THE PATHWAY FROM BOUTIQUE TO MAINSTREAM WATER SUPPLY

摘要

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) has been in continuous use in Australia for more than 40 years. Used to supplement groundwater supplies of irrigation water on the coastal delta of the Burdekin River, Queensland in the 1960s it was not until 1992 that it was first applied intentionally to developing supplies in urban areas, when stormwater harvesting for non-potable use began at Andrews Farm, South Australia. Since then, uptake has been geographically patchy, but where its value has been discovered, growth has followed quickly (Figure 1). The City of Salisbury is a stellar example where stormwater harvesting and aquifer storage and recovery is now providing 7 GL/year and 20 GL/yr is targeted within a few years. At a larger scale the Water for Good Plan of the SA Government calls for 60 GL of stormwater harvesting via MAR in Adelaide and 15 GL/yr in regional SA by 2050 (SA Government 2009). In addition, MAR planning and pilot projects are underway in three states (SA, WA, Vic) for subsurface storage of recycled water derived from sewage treatment plants, with a combined capacity of more than 30 GL/yr. This paper outlines recent developments/initiatives that facilitate the national uptake of MAR and aims to answer the following questions. Why has the gestation period of this 'green' technology been so long before reaching its current popularity? And is this a passing fad or is it here to stay?