Date of Award
2009
Degree Name
Honours
Schools and Centres
Arts & Sciences
First Supervisor
Dr Martin Drum
Abstract
This paper provides an examination of current and future demands on potable (drinking) water in the Pilbara. In this examination, it builds a picture summarizing human habitation in the Pilbara, and the nature in which the Western Australia state and Commonwealth governments assess and manage resources in the Pilbara, state wide, and nationally. Following on, water demand is broken down into its major user groups per town, and future demand is estimated based on publically available documents. It will be shown that water demand in certain areas of the Pilbara will exceed their licensed extraction limits within the next 20 years. It will also be show that a number of factors, including industrial grown and higher residential demand are the drivers of these issues. Finally, these factors will be examined for their root cause, the rolls of various government stakeholders assessed, and recommendations will be made to improve the supply, use, and management of water in the Pilbara.
Publication Details
Pidhirnyj, T. P. (2009). Sustainability of Potable Water in the Pilbara (Honours). University of Notre Dame Australia. https://researchonline.nd.edu.au/theses/66