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Australia - 2005
Australian Operations Reducing the Flow of Water Consumption
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Through efforts to reduce water consumption and increase the use of lower quality water instead of potable water, Alcoa's Western Australian mining operations reduced its potable water consumption by 42% in 2005.
Water conservation through harvesting and recycling water was a priority in the design of the new McCoy crushing facility that was commissioned in January 2005 at the Huntly mine in Western Australia. Surfaces, such parking lots, light vehicle roads, and roofs, drain into two sumps that capture rainwater along with treated wastewater from workshops, fuel bays, and vehicle washing facilities. These sumps pump water into the McCoy reservoir. In 2005, 207 million liters (54.7 million gallons) of water were harvested and recycled, accounting for nearly 50% of the total water consumption of Huntly Mine.
Around 80% of the water used in the mining operation is for dust suppression on the haul roads, so this was a key focus for water conservation strategies. These strategies include focusing mining activities on a smaller area in summer, which reduces the number of haul roads that need to be watered for dust suppression. Another water conservation initiative was the development of a tractor-mounted stand-pipe to collect water from roadside sumps after rain.
Elsewhere in Australia, Anglesea Power Station, Point Henry smelter, and the Yennora rolled products plant have been working with local water authorities to audit water use and develop comprehensive action plans to reduce consumption. In 2005, Barwon Water presented Point Henry and Anglesea with a Water Saver Award in recognition of their commitment to reducing water consumption.
Around 56% of the water used in Alcoa's Australian refineries is lower quality water that is drawn from a variety of sources, including the Pinjarra sewage plant and the Harvey Main Drain.
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