Submarine water reservoir

Abstract

A method of storing water comprising: restraining at least one flexible storage reservoir ( 12 ) in a submerged position within a body of salt water ( 14 ); establishing a terrestrial intake ( 16 ) in fluid communication with the flexible storage reservoir ( 12 ); and establishing a terrestrial outlet ( 30 ) in fluid communication with the flexible storage reservoir for the release of stored water.

1 . A method of storing water comprising:
 restraining at least one flexible storage reservoir in a submerged position within a body of salt water;   establishing a terrestrial intake in fluid communication with the flexible storage reservoir; and   establishing a terrestrial outlet in fluid communication with the flexible storage reservoir for the release of stored water, the outlet being different to the intake;
 wherein a valve is used with each of the intake and outlet such that, during charging of the or each storage reservoir, the inlet valve is opened and the outlet valve is closed and such that, during discharging of the or each storage reservoir, the inlet valve is closed and the outlet valve is opened; and 
 wherein during charging water head pressure from a terrestrial reservoir forces water into the or each storage reservoir. 
   
     
     
         2 . A method of storing water according to  claim 1 , wherein during discharging conserved head pressure and/or external salt water body pressure forces water out of the or each storage reservoir. 
     
     
         3 . A method of storing water comprising:
 restraining at least one flexible storage reservoir in a submerged position within a body of salt water;   establishing a terrestrial intake in fluid communication with the flexible storage reservoir;   establishing a terrestrial outlet in fluid communication with the flexible storage reservoir for the release of stored water, the outlet being different to the intake; and   establishing a further terrestrial intake in fluid communication with the flexible storage reservoir to enable distributed water intake.   
     
     
         4 . A method of storing water according to  claim 4 , wherein the terrestrial intake is positioned at a river, stormwater or rainwater system to capture the water. 
     
     
         5 . A method of storing water comprising:
 restraining at least one flexible storage reservoir in a submerged position within a body of salt water;   establishing a terrestrial intake in fluid communication with the flexible storage reservoir; and   establishing a terrestrial outlet in fluid communication with the flexible storage reservoir for the release of stored water, the outlet being different to the intake;
 wherein there are at least two flexible storage reservoirs and the at least two flexible storage reservoirs are interconnected in fluid communication with each other by an interconnection manifold. 
   
     
     
         6 . A method of storing water according to  claim 1 , wherein the intake and outlet are configured by separate conduits, are partitioned from each other or are in a common pipe, to enable the respective fluid communication with the reservoir. 
     
     
         7 . A method of storing water according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of treating the water from the terrestrial outlet. 
     
     
         8 . A method of storing water according to  claim 1 , wherein terrestrial intake and the terrestrial outlet are spaced apart geographically. 
     
     
         9 . A water storage system comprising
 a flexible storage reservoir that is submerged within a body of salt water; and   a terrestrial reservoir positionable terrestrially in use and in fluid communication with the storage reservoir;   
       wherein the system is configured such that there is no restriction to water flowing from the terrestrial reservoir to the flexible storage reservoir.