Indigenous Australian Communities

Australian Indigenous Community Water Treatment Systems

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We help Indigenous Australian communities achieve clean water independence.

At Moerk Water, we are committed to the long-term success of our water treatment projects for First Nations communities. It’s a part of our belief in striving for continuous technical and sustainability improvement. Australia’s unique climate and environment requires equally bespoke solutions with rugged systems built to withstand Australia’s harsh conditions.

We deliver long-term and reliable water treatment solutions by developing trusting relationships not only with our clients, but through commitment to genuine cooperation with local partners and communities. We encourage the inclusion, active participation and decision-making of all relevant stakeholders in the design, implementation, and maintenance of the technology.

Our holistic solutions help our clients reach their organisational objectives and key KPIs, create local jobs, promote local business development, and work to strengthen and equip local communities. Our technology provides Australian communities with reliable water supply, a source of clean water to improve community health, decentralised systems that allow water production where it is needed, solar-powered water treatment systems that remove reliance on diesel fuel, and training programs to build local expertise in water treatment and solar power.

At Moerk Water we recognise that building user/local capacity through training is the key to ensuring the long-term sustainability of our projects.

KEY BENEFITS

Decentralised water security
Improved community health outcomes
Community sustainability
Local capacity building
Economic expansion and opportunities (because of the stable fresh water supply)

Main Problems

Driest continent on earth combined with large distances leads to remote communities with limited water supplies
Groundwater is often saline with high levels of dissolved iron
Surface water is often contaminated with microbiological material
Negative health consequences from using low quality water
Climate change means that some traditional water sources are unavailable
Remote communities may need to be abandoned if sufficient clean water cannot be sourced

END OUTCOMES

Secure a reliable water supply
Provide a source of clean water to improve the health of the community
Decentralised systems allow for water production where it is needed
Solar powered water treatment systems remove reliance on diesel fuel to produce water
Training programs build local expertise in water treatment and solar power
Moerk Water systems are built rugged to withstand harsh conditions

TO PROVIDE CLEAN WATER SOLUTIONS FOR ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER COMMUNITIES WE WORK WITH

SHIRES

We work closely and collaboratively with regional shires to understand their needs to tailor the right water independence solution for them.

COUNCILS

We also work together with councils to help them ensure water security for their communities.

TOWN PLANNERS

We work closely with town planners to ensure new towns, and remote developments including mining and agriculture camps have water sustainability.

COMPANIES

We help companies with an interest in regions and communities do the best they can to provide clean and safe water for all stakeholders.

RESIDENTS

We can work directly with residents of regional communities to understand their needs on the ground and tailor the right water treatment solutions for them.

FARMERS

We have a comprehensive range of solutions for remote farming communities to ensure they have an adequate clean water supply for all their needs.

OUR PROCESS

Moerk Water starts the process of finding a solution for a client by asking questions to find out exactly what the client needs. Once the client’s needs are understood, Moerk Water will perform a water quality assessment either in person or via a water sample of the best available source. Once the composition of the water is understood, Moerk Water will design a system based on the location of the installation, what needs to be removed from the water and the available power. This design process involves a range of physical and chemical simulations and determines the final makeup of the system. Then Moerk Water engineers will construct and test the unit before shipping it to site for commissioning.

ENQUIRE

The first step towards a successful partnership is communication. That’s why we place such importance on our initial meeting. We will talk to you to find out exactly what you want to achieve and your expectations. It ensures that everyone is on the same page from the outset.

INVESTIGATION

Next, we need to investigate what is needed, which means looking in depth at your site and making sure we identify all potential challenges. The thorough knowledge we gain during the investigation stage lays the foundation for a successful outcome to your project.

WATER TESTS

Testing your water source allows us to determine exactly what we’re dealing with. Water analysis allows us to determine the cause or causes of water supply problems, and to identify the presence of any salt, debris, runoff, pollution, bacteria and parasites, as well as human and animal waste. We offer this cost-effective service to ensure we can then find the right solution for your needs without wasting time or money.

WATER TREATMENT STRATEGY

This is where we pull together all the data gained from our investigations and testing, then look back at the information gathered during our initial meeting with you to create a water treatment strategy that meets your needs, expectations and budget.

INSTALLATION & MAINTENANCE PLAN

Once the water treatment strategy is in place, the next essential step is to consider installation and maintenance. This ensures everything goes smoothly when we get to site with your new technology. It also means that ongoing maintenance will be simple and cost-effective.

PROPOSAL & QUOTE

This is where we pull everything together. We meet with you to present our proposal that has been drafted with all the information gained throughout the previous steps. During our meeting, we will discuss the reasoning that has gone into the proposal and quote, listen to your feedback and make adjustments as required. Remember. This is your project and you are always in the driver’s seat.

WATER SOURCES WE TREAT IN ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER COMMUNITIES

Moerk’s water treatment technology systems can convert a wide range of water source types in Australia into water suitable for a wide range of commercial and industrial activity and/or safe drinking water that meets World Health Organisation water quality standards.

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Bore Water

Bore water can contain high levels of minerals including sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, and iron. This not only makes it unsafe for human and animal consumption, but also for irrigation. Moerk’s water treatment technology can turn bore water into a safe, useful asset.

Brackish Water

Brackish water may have lower salt levels that sea water but is still unsuitable for use in agriculture or for stock to drink. Moerk’s desalination technology, encompassing reverse osmosis, provides a simple to use, reliable solution to brackish water. Our team can design and construct a system that will convert brackish water to a useful resource.

Sea Water

Desalination treatment plants are one of our most sought-after systems. Our membrane systems are designed to remove salt and almost all other water contaminants through the process of reverse osmosis. It’s a tried and tested method that we have adapted to be transportable to even the remotest locations as well as adaptable to any scale and completely self sustaining.

Ground Water

The best way to treat contaminated groundwater is to pump it through one of our specially designed groundwater treatment systems that can clean ground and surface water. The cleaned water can then be put back into the ground or stored for immediate use, which allows stakeholders to get the most out of their water assets.

Fresh Water

Just because water is fresh, does not mean it is fit for purpose. Moerk’s specialist team can provide water consultancy services, then use the results to advise on the best treatment solution to ensure your fresh water supply is free of contaminants, including bacteria, parasites and viruses, as well as particles. The result is water that is not only safe for human consumption but for use in your specific situation.

Surface Water

Surface water, including rivers, dams and stream, is extremely vulnerable to contamination by pollutants including chemicals, bacteria, parasites and viruses. Like ground water, it can be easily treated and made safe for use by our specially designed treatment systems.

Dam Water

Dam water, like other surface water sources, is vulnerable to contamination from ground runoff, pollution, contamination by human and animal waste as well as algal blooms. Our expert engineers can design a dam water treatment system that will enable you to use dam water safely for agriculture and stock.

Creek Water

Creek water, like dam and river water, is prone to pollution from runoff, human and animal waste, chemicals, bacteria, parasites and viruses. We can design and build a treatment system to suit your specific needs and convert creek water into a clean, safe water source.

River Water

Rivers are an extremely valuable source of water for agricultural use. But they are also easily contaminated by debris, runoff, pollution, bacteria and parasites, as well as human and animal waste. We can help you to make this most of this resource through water treatment technology that will remove contaminants.

Saline Water

Saline water is easily treatable using one of our desalination treatment systems. Our membrane systems easily remove salt using reverse osmosis. Our engineers can help you to choose the right saline water treatment system for your needs. They are easy to transport and can be adapted to any scale.

Saline Ground Water

Ground water can become increasingly salty as rainwater deposits of small amounts of salt build up over time, until it can no longer be safely used for crop irrigation or watering animals. The solution can be found in Moerk’s range of desalination treatment systems. Our specialist team members can guide you through the process of choosing the right system to remove saline from your ground water.

PLANTS & SYSTEMS DESIGNED FOR REMOTE AUSTRALIAN LOCATIONS

Our treatment plants are individually designed to meet the specific requirements to create a supply of water that is safe for drinking or use in Indigenous communities.

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Clarification Filtration

Clarification Filtration is a chemical/physical method to reduce the dirt load in the water. Fine particles below a certain size will pass through standard filters. Following clarification filtration, depending on the water quality required, the water can be further purified to reduce the salt load or remove any other contaminants of concern.

UV Sterilisation

Flow Disinfection is the go-to solution when you are treating biologically contaminated surface water. Reverse osmosis will remove all microbiological content from the water and concentrate it into the effluent stream and will also remove the salt.

Iron Removal Systems

Moerk Water’s Iron Removal Systems remove iron from any water source, eliminating concerns about iron bacteria contamination, corrosion, and scaling. Our iron removal systems utilise aeration mechanisms and filters with an automated backwash to reliably removing iron from the water while keeping the systems hands-free and operating costs as low as possible.

Nanofiltration

Typically when we think of reverse osmosis we imagine large facilities that underpin a city’s water supply or small under sink units. However, in our context, we have adapted these membrane systems to be both transportable and optimised for whatever scale various agricultural and commercial concerns require.

Seawater Desalination

Reverse osmosis is the most cost effective method for removing the salt from seawater (seawater desalination). Given the high energy cost of the process, energy recovery devices, low recovery rates and renewable energy systems are all factors effecting the utility of this system