While reducing water use and recycling more water will take us a long way to becoming climate resilient, they are not enough to overcome the significant reductions in rainfall that are projected.

New sources of water will eventually be required to supply a growing population in a drying climate. As a community we cannot rely on a single source of water.

By 2030, 70 to 100 gigalitres of additional water will be required, subject to the targets for reducing water use and water recycling being achieved. If these targets are not achieved, the need for new sources will increase even further.

Over the next 50 years, it is expected that existing surface water and groundwater sources will comprise an increasingly smaller portion of public water supply. As the climate dries the focus of new source development will continue to favour rainfall independent sources such as recycling and desalination.

 Continue to

• Complete the 50 gigalitre Southern Seawater Desalination Plant at Binningup
• Complete the Groundwater Replenishment Trial
• Mitigate the impacts of energy intensive sources such as desalination by contracting for energy from sources including biomass, wind, sun and waves or purchasing offsets

 Commit to

• Ensuring a range of water source options can be developed when required
• Securing sites for possible desalination plants in the northern corridor
• Developing a full scale groundwater replenishment scheme, if the trial is successful and supported by the community
• Securing approvals for the next major water source, or partner with the private sector for delivery
• Reducing the amount of water taken from the Gnangara Mound to an average 120 gigalitres per year (once the Southern Seawater Desalination Plant is operational)
• Reviewing the Wungong Catchment Management Trial to determine the viability of thinning catchments to increase run-off into dams
• Working with the State and Federal Governments and the Water Services Association of Australia to monitor and plan for the introduction of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme

 Explore

• Research into the viability of new technologies to reduce evaporation from drinking water dams
• Resource investigation on groundwater in the North West metropolitan coastal groundwater area
• Conducting a detailed economic, social and environmental impact assessment on the most prospective future water sources
• Working with the WA Planning Commission and the Department of Planning to ensure that future buffers and infrastructure corridors are secured and reflected in structure plans and local planning strategies