BOOK OF ABSTRACTS 115 IHSS&IWA26 / BRNO / CZECHIA / 23–28 August 2026 Thursday, 27 August 2026 / Hall C NOM and Aquatic Systems SL54 Innovation-Led Optimisation of Treatment Processes for Natural Organic Matter (NOM) Removal at a Groundwater Treatment Plant for Resilient Water Supply Ina Kristiana1, Troy Jansen2, Luke Zappia2, and Cynthia Joll1 1 Curtin Water Quality Research Group, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley WA 6102 Australia; I.Kristiana@curtin.edu.au 2 Water Corporation of Western Australia, 629 Newcastle Street, Leederville WA 6007, Australia Groundwater supplies approximately 40% of Perth’s drinking water, with the Wanneroo Groundwater Treatment Plant (GWTP) providing up to 170 ML/day during peak demand. The plant treats groundwater blended from multiple bores, with bore selection largely dependent on the bore water allocations determined by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation. The groundwater blend supplying the plant is characterised by significant variability in dissolved organic carbon (DOC), iron, and manganese. Built originally as a conventional alum-based coagulation plant, Wanneroo GWTP increasingly required enhanced coagulation to manage higher and more variable natural organic matter (NOM) loads. To further enhance the removal of NOM, MIEX® resin treatment was introduced in 2001 and remains the largest MIEX® treatment plant installation globally. Over the past two decades, the Curtin Water Quality Research Group has collaborated closely with the Water Corporation of Western Australia to support operational optimisation at the Wanneroo GWTP. This work has focused on innovation-led improvements that enhance water security, treatment resilience, and drinking water quality under increasing environmental and operational pressures. A coordinated program of source water characterisation, laboratory-scale treatability testing, plant-scale trials, and modelling has been undertaken to better understand organic matter behaviour and its interaction with treatment processes. MIEX® treatment was found to consistently outperform enhanced coagulation for NOM removal, achieving up to 88% DOC reduction and removing a broader range of NOM fractions, including lower molecular weight compounds less amenable to coagulation. By enhancing NOM removal, improving biological stability, reducing disinfection by-product formation, and expanding the range of groundwater sources that can be reliably treated, MIEX® plays a central role in maintaining the quality and quantity of drinking water produced at the plant. Optimisation
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