This report compares the economics and feasibility of two water supply options for Perth: seawater desalination and deep Yarragadee aquifer extraction - with implications for Wheatbelt agricultural water security.
Contrary to common assumptions that groundwater extraction is inherently cheaper than desalination, the analysis indicates that when full system costs are considered, Yarragadee extraction is substantially more expensive and less flexible than coastal desalination.
Download Perth_Water_Supply_Analysis_Desalination_vs_Yarragadee Report