Steve Darwent from Environmental Solutions has just completed installation of an Advanced Watertek desalination plant, the first of its kind to be installed at Langhorne Creek, for grape growers, David and Peter Hender.

Environmental Solutions(Aust) Pty Ltd is the Representative Agent for Advanced Watertek having an office in Perth, Australia and an office with their manufacturing facility in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Holding a seminar at Langhorne Creek in March 2009 for local farmers and grape growers, Steve said that the Henders were among the interested locals to attend the seminar.

David and Peter decided to install a desalination plant during May 2009 in their huge farm of 130 acres where they grow grapes.

Water at 2200 parts of salt per million is pumped up from th Henders bore to a holiding tank and into the desalination plant and back to one meglitre holding tanks and from here used to irrigate the vines through the normal pumping system.

The desalination plant has a 450,000 litre per day capacity with a recovery rate of up to 75%, producing water of 18 to 19 parts of salt per million, which is exception quality.

Advanced Watertek has been manufacturing desalination systems for both sea-water and brackish water for about 25 years.

With rich experience they use very high quality components from Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Holland , USA, Japan and Australia.

The systems are designed to operate 24/7, 365 days of the year.

Steve said, "We have desalination units still working like this after 20 years of operation".

David and Peter Hender's philosophy is, the better the water used for irrigation, the higher quality the yield will be.

"The desalination plant is going to help our vines a lot." David said.