Australian Guidelines for Managed Aquifer Recharge and their International Relevance

(draft list of coauthors to be confirmed)
P. Dillon a*, J. Vanderzalm a, D. Page a, S. Toze a, P. Pavelic b, D. Cunliffe c
a  CSIRO Water for a Healthy Country Flagship Program, CSIRO Land and Water, PMB2 Glen Osmond,  SA 5064, Australia: peter.dillon@csiro.au
b Intl. Water Management Institute, Hyderabad, India: p.pavelic@cgiar.org   
c Department of Health, South Australia,: David.Cunliffe@health.sa.gov.au
c Central Ground Water Board, Gujarat, India: rattan.jain@gmail.com
d School of Resources and Environment, University of Jinan, China: stu_wangwp＠ujn.edu.cn
e Instituto de Ingeniería, UNAM, Mexico: bjimenezc@iingen.unam.mx
f Groundwater Africa, South Africa: ricky@groundwaterafrica.co.za
g Institute for Ecopreneurship, Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz, Switzerland: thomas.wintgens@fhnw.ch
h KompetenzZentrum Wasser Berlin, Germany: gesche.gruetzmacher@kompetenz-wasser.de
i Dept. Public Works Los Angeles County, USA: bwillard@dpw.lacounty.gov
j Schlumberger Water Services, UAE: Rashid@dubai.oilfield.slb.com

* Corresponding author.

Abstract   Australian national guidelines for MAR were approved in July 2009 with the aim of setting scientifically-based criteria and procedures to ensure protection of public health and the environment for all types of MAR projects and water sources and uses.  This includes recycling stormwater or treated sewage effluent via aquifers for irrigation, industrial, non-potable household use as well as for drinking water supplies.  These guidelines are intended to provide sound foundations for proponents and regulators and thereby to facilitate appropriate investment in MAR.  The guidelines are founded on the risk management framework that is used to set Water Safety Plans common to various WHO Guidelines for Water Protection as followed in Australia’s National Water Quality Management Strategy (NWQMS) guidelines of which the MAR Guidelines now form a part.

This paper has two objectives.  Firstly it summarises the key features of the guidelines, including their accounting for  water quality improvements and deteriorations that can occur during aquifer storage, and the staged approach used for managing risks in the face of uncertainty from the outset of a project.  Secondly, it sets out to explore the relevance of these guidelines in different national settings representing countries where MAR has potential to make significant contributions to water security.  Where the guidelines have been applied their appetite for data will be discussed and if necessary some stepping stones suggested to help achieve similar objectives in settings where there is a constrained ability to investigate, monitor and control water quality and quantity.  The issue of training for ongoing management of MAR operations will also be addressed.

Keywords:  groundwater recharge, water quality, contaminants, pathogens, environment protection, groundwater management