Eyre Peninsula to be consulted on $80m desalination plant, possibly at Sleaford Bay
THE State Government plans to build an $80 million desalination plant for Port Lincoln, but says no decision has been made on its location despite SA Water buying 60ha of land near a pristine bay.
THE State Government plans to build a $80 million seawater desalination plant at Port Lincoln, but says no decision has been made on its location.
This was despite SA Water last month purchasing 60ha of land at the “preferred site” of Sleaford Bay, 17km west of the town, next to the Lincoln National Park.
“We haven't guaranteed this as the location, but it is a preferred site and securing the land is important,” Environment Minister David Speirs told The Advertiser.
The three gigalitre desalination plant is to provide long-term water security to the Eyre Peninsula, which relies on underground water from the Uley South Basin.
“The project has been around for a long time, probably the last 20 years, but it’s becoming more serious as the years pass,” Mr Speirs said.
“Port Lincoln and much of the Eyre Peninsula rely on groundwater for residential supply and the long-term availability (10 years) is questionable.”
Mr Speirs said the development would be “much smaller” than the $1.8 billion Adelaide desalination plant, which costs the state $13.5 million a year to run.
“The area we’re looking at supplying uses around five gigalitres a year, so if we can supplement that with three gigalitres from the desal plant it will radically reduce reliance on groundwater,” he said.
“The community has been overwhelmingly positive (about the project) because there is a genuine worry about the groundwater capacity of the EP.”
Mr Speirs was in Port Lincoln last week to discuss the review of the Natural Resources Management scheme when a question was asked about SA Water’s recent purchase.
An SA Water spokeswoman said they had worked with the local community in 2008 on a plan to supplement future water supply through a desalination plant, with Sleaford Bay identified as the preferred location.
The spokeswoman said the development was deferred in 2011 after improved groundwater resources, but after three consecutive years of low rainfall the plan was being revisited.
She said planning and design was in its early stages, but it would be informed by community feedback and extensive environmental investigations to minimise its impact.
The Lower Eyre Peninsula acting chief executive Leith Blacker said: “We have very few details, but water security on the Eyre Peninsula is a vital issue so we would be happy to hear of a solution for the future”.
If the development is approved, Mr Speirs said it was likely to be built in the “next couple of financial years”.