Publication Date

3-2026

Publisher

State of Western Australia (Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development)

City

Perth

Abstract

In 2026, Murdoch University completed a series of investigations into farm and community scale desalination in the Wheatbelt of Western Australia for the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and Water Corporation. The key studies investigated farm scale desalination, community scale desalination, best practice techniques for desalination in agriculture and brine management review.

The key findings of the studies are presented here, followed by an overview of the considerations concerning the potential for desalination across the Wheatbelt. Readers are referred to the Technical Reports for more detailed information.

This report is an overview of the following reports:

Ela, W., Rasheed, A., Begum, S., Patel, V., Soubans, G., and Ruprecht, J. (2025) WaterSmart Farms – Inventory and Analysis. A report to Water Corporation and Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

Ravisankar, V., Ela, W., Maharjan, M. and Ruprecht, J.K. (2025). WaterSmart Farms – Best Practice Study of Desalination in Agriculture. A report to Water Corporation and Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

Ravisankar, V., Ela, W., Aktar, S., Husbands, B., Li, L. and Ruprecht, J.K. (2025). WaterSmart Farms – Brine Management Review, Wheatbelt Western Australia Context. A report to Water Corporation and Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

Begum, S., Ela, W., and Ruprecht, J.K. (2026). WaterSmart Farms – Community Desalination. A report to Water Corporation and Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

Number of Pages

24

Keywords

desalination, waste-stream management, brine management, best available technology (BAT), reverse osmosis, waste management

Disciplines

Natural Resources and Conservation | Water Resource Management

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