The State Government has outlined its latest plan to guarantee South Australia’s future water security to 2050 and beyond, by diversifying water supplies and breaking its dependence on the River Murray.
Premier Mike Rann and Minister for Water Security Karlene Maywald yesterday launched the plan, titled Water for Good, in Adelaide before 200 industry, government and community representatives.
The plan outlines more than 90 strategies to secure water supplies with more than 60 new actions such as:
- Substantially increasing our current stormwater capture and reuse across South Australia, with a target to recycle up to 75 billion litres a year in the long term.
- New rebates for water saving devices to further encourage water efficiency.
- A state-wide desalination policy to guide future plant proposals.
- Appointing an independent regulator to oversee service standards and pricing for monopoly water and wastewater suppliers while retaining government ownership of water infrastructure.
- Introd ucing legislation to foster a competitive water industry and allowing third-party access to government water infrastructure.
"O ur number one priority is ensuring South Australia has sufficient water supplies for future economic and population growth – our plan guarantees this," Mr Rann said.
"Already, South Australia leads the nation in stormwater harvesting, wastewater recycling, irrigation practices and rainwater tank ownership.
"This plan outlines new and effective ways to protect and supplement our water supplies both now and for the longer term.
"Our first step to this goal has been Adelaide’s expanded 100 GL desalination plant, currently under construction at Port Stanvac."
The $1.83b plant will provide up to half of Adelaide’s drinking water.
"Stormwater will play a larger role in diversifying water supplies and in partnership with local government, we will send a funding submission to the Commonwealth immediately for assistance with projects identified in the plan," Mr Rann said.
Mrs Maywald said the Stormwater Management Authority appointed independent consultants during development of the plan to determine where further stormwater capture and reuse could be feasibly established.
"These investigations found in the metropolitan area it is technically feasible to capture 60 billion litres of stormwater," she said.
"The plan also targets up to 15 billion litres in regional SA in the longer term.
"With projects currently in operation, under construction or being scoped, we will harvest about 20 billion litres by 2013.
"The plan estimates an extra 42 billion litres can be captured for up to $700m in the long term."
Mrs Maywald said the Water for Good policy also outlines how regional communities can play a role in developing water demand and supply plans that account for future growth and local supply issues.
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