Gary Crisp
Chief Engineer
Sequana
Gary Crisp is a globally recognised leader in desalination and advanced water treatment, with over 43 years of experience in the water sector—23 of which have been dedicated to desalination and water reuse. As a key figure in some of the world’s most complex water infrastructure projects, he has played a pivotal role in shaping Australia’s desalination strategy and has been instrumental in multiple award-winning projects across Australia and North America.
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Now at Sequana, Gary oversees the growth and development of large-scale manufactured water projects, bringing his expertise to some of the sector’s most ambitious initiatives.
His career highlights include leading desalination projects for the WA Water Corporation, John Holland, and Sacyr Environment USA, as well as contributing to landmark facilities like the Perth Seawater Desalination Plant, the Alkimos Seawater Desalination Plant, and the Carlsbad Desalination Plant in California.
A former Director of the International Desalination Association and Western Australia’s Professional Engineer of the Year (2007), Gary is a respected thought leader, inventor, and advocate for integrating desalination and water reuse into future water security strategies.
His vision is to ensure that sustainable, high-quality water solutions remain a cornerstone of resilient urban and industrial planning.
Topic
Desalination for utilities, industry and mining – Australia’s success story for world application
Abstract
Water agencies, mining and resource companies, together with industry in all parts of the world, are increasingly becoming involved in desalination initiatives, including development of solutions for converting seawater and brackish water to fresh water.
The accelerating implementation of many major projects has led to a greater understanding of desalination technologies and its consequent use as a water supply option.
Prior to this century, desalination in Australia was simply too expensive for major applications.
However, the rising costs of developing ever depleting water resources and lack of available sources at remote and arid sites, coupled with a rapidly growing demand for water supplies of varying quality for domestic, mining and industrial purposes, forced Australia to investigate desalination technologies and subsequently apply them successfully.
This paper presents an update on all of Australia’s major desalination plants and associated integration systems.
Detailed information will be presented in relation to plants already constructed, including the 140 ML/d Cape Preston Desalination Plant, constructed offshore and assembled in the remote Pilbara Region of Western Australia to supply water to a magnetite mine.
Plants currently planned for the mining industry in Australia will be presented, particularly in Western and South Australia. These are prime examples of desalination projects for mining.
All completed plants are exceeding expectations in aspects such as quantity and quality of water supplied, operating cost and specific energy use. Their durability, reliability and availability have been exceptional, and, of critical importance, their integration and transfer systems have been proven.
A discussion of the “lessons learnt” during the planning, design, construction, commissioning and operational phases of these plants will be included, as these experiences can be universally applied.
The issues raised are pertinent to desalination plants per se and will provide great insight for developers of desalination plants related to the mining industry.