Managing Urban Salinity - Integrated Water Management Scheme: Katanning Case Study

An alternative approach to urban salinity management in the WA Rural Towns is proposed, based on the concept that saline water is a valuable resource available for reuse. Total resources (groundwater, surface runoff and urban water) need to be estimated as a part of integrated water management. A Water Management Plan (WMP) will include a benefit/cost analysis of implementing engineering solutions which account for water abstraction, desalination and reuse. The approach has been applied as a case study/pilot scale implementation at the town of Katanning. More than 15 percent of the Katanning townsite (130 ha) is affected by salinity and waterlogging. Some features of the town water balance are: (1) the current groundwater losses via evaporation/evapotranspiration from the shallow groundwater table are 640 ML year, resulting in 48 tonnes/ha of salt accumulating in the soil each year; (2) surplus of surface runoff generated in the town is greater-than 300 ML/year; (3) urban waste water discharge is 300 ML/year. The Katanning WMP at full scale will provide fresh water at a scale similar to the current town water supply. The water production cost is likely to be in the current price range for commercial water use.