Sensational-Adelaide.com

Three local councils have put forward a plan they say would cut Adelaide's use of River Murray water to zero.

The proposal would dramatically boost stormwater capture, producing twice as much as the proposed desalination plant. Currently only a fraction of Adelaide's stormwater is reused, but under the proposal that amount could increase 30 times by 2025.

The proposal is from the Salisbury, Tea Tree Gully and Playford councils, with input from a wide range of research groups.
It is based on the Salisbury wetlands project, which the councils suggest could be expanded across Adelaide.

Stormwater would then be pumped back into aquifers, increasing stormwater harvesting from four to 106 gigalitres by 2025.

Colin Pitman from Salisbury council says if the plan were to be adopted, Adelaide would not need to rely on the River Murray.

"The State Government should examine stormwater recycling as a significant option in lieu of other options associated with supply of water to Adelaide," he said.

The Salisbury council has told a parliamentary committee it wants to go further by supplying drinkable recycled water.

But Mr Pitman says SA Water has been an obstacle. "There are some quality requirements that must be met and those and those quality requirements are onerous," he said.

The plan's proponents say eventually almost half of Adelaide's water needs could be met through storm and waste water.

The report is being considered by the South Australian Government.

ADELAIDE'S daily water consumption this year has surged by 80 million litres – or 32 Olympic-size swimming pools – and experts fear the relaxed watering restrictions are to blame.

The number of households hit with $315 fines has jumped to 69 compared to 45 last summer. Adelaide's daily water consumption last month was 544 megalitres, compared with 483Ml in January 2008. This month's daily consumption has jumped to 578Ml – 100Ml more than February last year.

The alarming spike in water use has prompted a call for urgent government and community action by Adelaide University water expert Professor Mike Young, who is worried some householders have become complacent about the water crisis.

"If we use too much water this year and have a failure of rainfall again in the Murray-Darling Basin this winter we will have to go to severe watering restrictions – even zero outdoor use – until the desalination plant become operational in late 2010," he said.

Prof Young, a world authority on water economics, has called for:

• * HOUSEHOLDERS to dob in neighbours who breach water restrictions.
  * A CRACKDOWN on water cheats by SA Water.
  * A GOVERNMENT education campaign.
  * TIGHTER restrictions.

He said the increase in consumption suggested householders' "respect and concern for water restrictions" was slipping.

"And I suspect the easing of water restrictions has contributed to the increase in consumption."

Water Security Minister Karlene Maywald said the decision in November to allow householders to water for up to three hours on either Tuesday or Wednesday had "possibly" caused this year's spike in water use and she would be "monitoring the situation closely".

stumpjumper wrote: I'd be interested to know at least why WA was able two years ago to build a 45GL desal plant for $387 million, while our 50GL plant will cost us $1.37 billion. $1.37 billion is about $3,600 per SA taxpayer by the way, and I'm not a rich bastard so I'd like to know the answer.

rhino wrote:

stumpjumper wrote: I'd be interested to know at least why WA was able two years ago to build a 45GL desal plant for $387 million, while our 50GL plant will cost us $1.37 billion. $1.37 billion is about $3,600 per SA taxpayer by the way, and I'm not a rich bastard so I'd like to know the answer.

I'd be interested to know the answer too, but I suspect it would have something to do with what is quoted as "The Project". Does the WA desal plant cost include the infrastructure to get the water to a reservoir, or is it just the plant itself? How close is the plant to a reservoir? In Adelaide the water has to go to Happy Valley, and then to (Little Para?) a reservoir that serves the northern part of the metro area. Is this the case in WA, and if so, is it included in the cost of the plant? Etc, Etc, Etc.

Shuz wrote:No, theyre building a new dam wall further down the valley, which'll be bigger than the old wall. The water will eclipse the old dam wall...

rhino wrote:

Shuz wrote:No, theyre building a new dam wall further down the valley, which'll be bigger than the old wall. The water will eclipse the old dam wall...

That's very interesting. Do you have a source, because I'd like to read it. The original announcement was that they were going to increase the height of the dam wall to double the capacity. I'm not doubting you, but I'd like to read the document.

The potential to harvest and store stormwater at Adelaide Airport will be investigated in a $60,000 study.

SA Water and Adelaide Airport Limited each are putting in half the money.

The study is to look at treatment options and aquifer storage capacity at the airport, at West Beach.

Water Security Minister Karlene Maywald says the Stormwater Management Authority is planning many studies of how stormwater can be harnessed for industry, parks and gardens.

The airport study is expected to produce a finding by April and wider stormwater studies by the middle of the year.

stumpjumper wrote:What?? (Mt Bold reservoir wall).

The ride from the Mt Bold turn off before Myponga (coming in from the sea) to Mt Bold, across the reservoir and down to Carrickalinga is one of the great rides of SA.

I hope they keep the road over the dam, whatever they do.

WATER restrictions could be a thing of the past for northern residents under an Australia-first plan to connect stormwater with existing homes.

Salisbury Council is investigating a $70 million project to lay 740km of piping across the district to link recycled stormwater from wetlands with about 50,000 homes and businesses.

Councillors will next month vote on whether to proceed with detailed planning including design and funding options.

Playford Council is considering a similar project on a smaller scale to bring recycled stormwater into new housing developments.

Salisbury city projects director Colin Pitman said pipes would run down every street in the council area to enable residents to link up to the system and use the water on their gardens and in their homes for washing and flushing their toilets.

“It would enable people to irrigate their gardens without water restrictions,” Mr Pitman said.

“It would improve the visual appearance of the city and residents would get enormous satisfaction of keeping gardens green.”

“It’s also about the community being sustainable.

“The community is producing the water and using the water rather than taking the water from elsewhere.”

Playford Council civil operations group manager Richard Anning said the plan had “merit”, with the council considering a similar project for new housing developments planned for the Playford North project area.

Mr Anning said under the plan, new homes would be connected to the recycled stormwater system through a third pipe.

However, he said the council did not harvest enough water to supply a “significant number of households”.

Gawler Council environment officer Kathy Pullan said Salisbury’s idea could be considered as part of the council’s new stormwater management plan but would “be down to how much stormwater we receive”.

Mr Pitman said it would be the first project of its kind in Australia and would take about 15 billion litres of stormwater a year to households and businesses equivalent to 18 per cent of Adelaide’s water supply.

Already, Salisbury Council has linked up about 3000 new homes in Parafield Gardens with stormwater.

The water is collected in 53 wetlands across the council to stop it flowing out to sea and pumped underground to prevent it from evaporating.

This water is currently transported to local businesses, reserves and schools through bores and a network of underground pipes.

Under the proposal, pipes would be connected to this network to take water down individual streets, with residents paying a fee to connect it to their homes.

Mr Pitman said while staff were still costing the project, the connection fee to the system could be around $1100 for households and businesses.

They will then pay for the water on a user pays basis at about $1.73 per kilolitre.

Mr Pitman said this would be about 15c per kilolitre cheaper than what SA Water will charge from July.

The council would install piping using directional boring to drill into the ground to minimise disruption to local roads.

Mr Pitman said staff were preparing a business case on the project to present to the council.

“We’re assessing a business case to determine whether its economic.

“The next step would be to go through detailed design and secure funding.”

The council would contribute some of the funding for the project and seek money from the Federal Government and private sector for the building works, Mr Pitman said.

The maintenance cost would be recovered through the water charge.

Mr Pitman said the council would build extra wetlands as part of the project depending on demand from the community to link up to the system.

If the plans do not go ahead, the existing network will be used to continue supplying water to reserves, local businesses and councils, including Playford and Tea Tree Gully.