A team from the Murdoch University are investigating ways to protect the vital water supplies for remote desert communities.

The researchers in WA have undertaken a project hoping to produce one kilolitre of water every day for the isolated Tjuntjuntjara community, 700 kilometres east of Kalgoorlie-Boulder.

National Centre of Excellence in Desalination Australia has joined to partner the Murdoch University scientists, if successful reports say a larger facility will be consutrcted, capable of producing 20 kilolitres a day to double the communities available supply.

The desalination project has been based in its specific site for two reasons; the acute lack of fresh water and the large amount of hyper-saline groundwater – which the team are working to purify for the community.

Researcher Neil Palmer says the location receives sufficient sunlight for a solar powered system, using less energy than traditional desalination. The camp at Tjuntjuntjara exists because the water supply ran out at a previous site.