Attila Gaal (CWW)
Abstract
Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) is a challenging form of Managed Aquifer Recharge and is currently emerging as a new industry in Victoria. ASR constitutes one of the cornerstones of the Alternative Water program at City West Water. Over the last 5 years this program has grown from feasibility studies to field trials at the Western Treatment Plant, and construction is now under way to implement a MAR scheme to store and recover annual volumes over 1 GL for the West Werribee Recycled Water Supply Scheme. This project is to become part of a broad network of underground storage schemes to service Melbourne’s growing west, and is an important step towards proving the viability of MAR technology in Victoria. The Werribee project has met numerous scientific and engineering as well as regulatory challenges to satisfy the multitude of checkpoints needed to operate the ASR scheme in a safe, routine manner – including an accelerated construction timeframe due to funding conditions. The target aquifer within the Werribee Formation while favourable is not ideal for ASR, and requires a solid hydrogeological understanding and close management for the scheme to succeed. This presentation aims to provide some of the key learnings gained for the future benefit of ASR and to provide examples of the technical problems which are still being surmounted as the project approaches the operational phase in around 2018. The West Werribee Aquifer Storage and Recovery project is a jointly funded program with a contribution of $11.4M from the Federal Government.
About the speaker
Attila Z Gaal is currently Senior Hydrogeologist at City West Water, Melbourne, and has provided groundwater technical lead for the company’s Aquifer Storage and Recovery program over the last three years. Attila’s experience spans over 20 years in the environmental geosciences, within senior roles in the past 8 years including two of Australia’s leading geotechnical and environmental consultancies. He has worked across traditional applications in the groundwater field including water supply, dewatering and contamination. His key interests include aquifer recharge, natural treatment systems and integrated water management. Attila holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology and a Master of Engineering in Hydrogeology, and is a PhD candidate at the School of Chemical, Civil, and Environmental Engineering at RMIT University.
Come Join Us
Tuesday 3 June 2014 5.30pm meet and greet for 6pm start (refreshments provided)
URS, Level 6, 1 Southbank Boulevard, Southbank, Melbourne
