SA Labor promises to spend $92 million fixing sewerage system if it wins 2022 South Australia election
Thousands of northeastern property owners with septic tanks will be connected to mains sewerage in a $92 million pre-election promise by Labor.
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A $92 million project to connect thousands of northeastern Adelaide property owners with septic tanks to mains sewerage has been announced by the State Opposition.
Tea Tree Gully Council is facing multimillion-dollar bills each year over the next decade to maintain and upgrade its ageing community wastewater management system, built in the 1960s as Adelaide rapidly expanded.
In his biggest pre-election promise, Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas said $92 million would be spent connecting 4500 properties to SA Water if he won power in 2022.
“The current, council-owned Community Wastewater Management System (CWMS) has become old, less reliable and more expensive,” he said.
“The Tea Tree Gully Council has been forced to pass the increasing cost of the system on to ratepayers.”
Tea Tree Gully councillors last week were divided over whether to charge more than 4500 properties connected to the CWMS an extra 9 per cent for their septic tanks.
Mayor Kevin Knight used his casting vote to secure the increase by 6-5.
Two Labor-aligned councillors, Lucas Jones and Jessica Linvert, were told by Local Government Minister Stephan Knoll they could not debate the issue as they were property owners with septic tanks with conflicts of interest.
An asset management report in 2018 identified serious problems with the system, which operates 4645 septic tanks and 112km of pipes across Banksia Park, Tea Tree Gully, Redwood Park, Ridgehaven, Vista, Fairview Park, Yatala Vale, Surrey Downs, St Agnes, Hope Valley, Modbury North and Modbury.
Mr Malinauskas said ratepayers could not keep carrying the financial burden of fixing problems with leaking septic tanks and crumbling clay pipes.
“It is an issue I have heard about time and time again,” he said.
“Connection to mains sewerage is something the people of the north east have called for.
“Residents, who are paying more in council rates, will receive some hip-pocket relief, and it will create much-needed jobs for our state.”
Local Labor MP Blair Boyer welcomed the announcement, saying it was a “great win for the local community”.
“This project will deliver a far better service to the homes of the Tea Tree Gully residents and improve the amenity of what is already a great area,” he said.
Mr Malinauskas’ announcement comes two weeks after local Liberal MP Richard Harvey said he had written to the State Government seeking help with the CWMS.
The letter followed appeals by the council for commonwealth and state funding which were unsuccessful.
The council instead was told to negotiate with SA Water about taking over the system, which resulted in a request for an upfront payment of $30 million.