Tjuntjuntjara is a remote Aboriginal community in the Central Desert region of Western Australia. The community water supply is sourced from a small freshwater aquifer below a topographic low, locally known as a ‘donga’. Recharge from rainfall displaces the regional saline groundwater beneath the donga forming a freshwater lens.
Rockwater was engaged by the Department of Communities (Housing) to upgrade the community water supply infrastructure at Tjuntjuntjara. A new operating protocol was developed to minimise the risk of saline intrusion.
Rockwater also installed a borefield telemetry system to provide real-time water level and salinity data to an online portal, including alarms and notifications when water level and salinity trigger levels are exceeded. This enables Housing to adaptively manage the fresh water lens aquifer and provide a continuous supply of fresh water to the community.
