02 December 2007

UNSW and the Water Research Laboratory were represented at the recent Groundwater Quality GQ07 conference held in Perth from December 2-7, 2007. Dr Martin Andersen, (Senior Lecturer and Researcher with the Connected Waters Initiative was invited to give a key note address jointly with Associate Professor Rasmus Jakobsen from the Danish Technical University. Their presentation "From the aquifer to the sea - mapping and quantifying contaminant fluxes and transformations in the coastal zone" aimed at giving a comprehensive overview of the methodologies available for providing estimates of submarine groundwater discharge and associated contaminant fluxes.

No single method can currently provide such estimates on a plume or catchment scale. Researchers therefore need to resort to a combination of methods ranging from point measurements of flow to aerial and geophysical mapping methodologies to answer questions about the terrestrial fluxes of various contaminants such as nutrients or hydrocarbon spills

Ian Cunningham (WRL Project Engineer) presented findings from various studies on subsurface intakes for desalination plants. The WRL projects team including Dr Wendy Timms, Dr William Glamore and Alexandra Badenhop continued feasibility investigations in 2007 for possible subsurface saline water intakes using vertical or lateral intakes for a range of intake volumes.

The possible advantages of using naturally filtered seawater to improve feedwater quality for desalination plants were examined, including minimising clogging and impacts on marine biota, decreasing power costs and the need for pre-treatment chemicals. Possible detrimental effects of iron mobilisation within the aquifer and drawdown of the shallow fresh watertable were identified for more detailed work. The WRL projects team continue to provide expert advice and services for clients who require filtered seawater sources.