호주 빅토리아(Victoria)주 온타기(Wonthaggi) 담수화 플랜트는 수십억 달러 규모의 플랜트로 물을 제공하기 위해 빅토리아시 물계획과 가뭄 및 극도의 고온현상 상태에 대응하기 위한 일환으로 가동이 시작될 전망이다. 지역 신문 ‘The Age’는 빅토리아 정부가 최근 미래 물계획의 일부로 온타기 담수화 플랜트의 사용을 고려하고 있다고 보도했다.

 

물 관련 장관 Lisa Neville은 온타기 담수화 플랜트는 멜버른(Melbourne) 물공급에 있어 위한 보루의 역할을 할 것이라 말했다.

 

 

 

The Wonthaggi desalination plant at Victoria, Australia has yet to deliver any water but switching on the multibillion-dollar desalination plant has become part of Victoria's water planning as the state remains gripped by drought and extremely high temperatures.

 

Local newspaper, The Age, reported recently that the Victoria government was calculating the use of the Wonthaggi desalination plant as part of its future water planning. Water Minister Lisa Neville said the plant at Wonthaggi would act as a redoubt for Melbourne's water supplies.

 

"Let's not pretend the desal is not there, like has happened over the past three years, let's do the planning across the state," Neville said. "We can consider the desal as security," she added.

 

The water shortage is particularly acute in Victoria's west where storages are down to 30%  and rainfall in some of the region has been the lowest-on-record over the past 18 months.

 

Storage shortages are leaving 50 towns facing water restrictions, including Colac, Daylesford, Castlemaine, Warragul and Euroa but Melbourne will not be affected.

 

[출처 = Desalination & Water Reuse / 2015년 12월 21일]