SA Best water plan asks for $11 million to install SA invention to capture stormwater across Adelaide suburbs

STORMWATER across Adelaide’s suburbs would be captured and fed underground via a local invention, under an SA Best election proposal.

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STORMWATER across Adelaide’s suburbs would be captured and fed underground using a local invention, under an SA Best election proposal.

Leader Nick Xenophon said a system designed at the Waite Institute in Adelaide’s south-eastern suburbs could be installed across the city to capture run-off, manage flooding and “green our suburbs”.

The system units would be installed at the roadside and take in thousands of litres of water from gutters to feed down into the soil.

From there it would be used to feed established trees or soak into the water table.

The units would cost about $1000 each to install.

SA Best wants to commit $11 million to create a network across the city.

Mr Xenophon said the technology had been patented internationally and could be exported.

“It will save billions of litres of water going out to sea. We can have a greener city,” he said.

“It’s inexpensive and it works.

“In the driest state on the driest continent this is a damn good idea that will put South Australia on the map and has potential for an export market.”

SA Best Leader Nick Xenophon announces the plan for the new stormwater saving system at the Waite Institute. Picture: AAP / Tracey Nearmy

SA Best’s candidate for Waite, former Conservation Council of SA vice-president Graham Davies, said the units could be installed by local councils or SA Water.

“Instead of traditionally (the water) goes into concrete pipes, that goes into culverts and gets taken out to sea - what we do here is capture it at the source ... and that goes underground,” he said.

“We have the biggest water storage right under our feet ... through aquifers or just in the soil itself.”

Mr Xenophon said SA Best would also introduce legislation to Parliament when it resumes later this year requiring SA Water profits to be allocated to water-saving projects.

Mr Davies said another $9 million should be allocated to improving the ability of South Australian crops and plants to deal with climate change.