Minister backs Adelaide desal plan to deliver water relief for farmers ahead of review
New federal Water Minister Keith Pitt has supported the plan for SA to aid upstream farmers with 100GL from the desal plant.
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- Lower Lakes community warn against flooding with saltwater
- Desal plant fires up in national drought rescue
New federal Water Minister Keith Pitt has backed South Australia delivering the full 100 gigalitres of water from Adelaide’s desalination plant for drought-affected farmers upstream to grow fodder.
Mr Pitt has also backed SA’s right to decide whether to build a controversial “Lock Zero”, as upstream irrigators push to flood the Lower Lakes with salt water.
In an exclusive interview ahead of a public hearing into Murray-Darling Basin Plan matters on Friday, Mr Pitt told The Advertiser the desal plant was “there to be utilised in times of need”.
“It’s expensive to operate, that’s just a statement of fact, but the option to be able to provide desperately needed fodder is critical for breeding stock, so I’m committed to the full delivery,” Mr Pitt said. A total of 40GL of water, or 800 parcels, have been sold to farmers so far, though there have been reports hundreds of parcels have not yet been received.
A review of the program, due next month, will determine whether the remaining 60GL will be released from July. Asked about calls for a Lock Zero near Wellington, which would have drastic environmental consequences for the Lower Lakes, Mr Pitt said: “My job is to work with the state ministers, but that is a decision for South Australia if it’s something that they want to do.”
SA Water Minister David Speirs has categorically ruled it out. However, Murray-Darling Basin inspector-general Mick Keelty has flagged he wants to look into the Lock Zero proposal, which supporters argue would reduce freshwater evaporating from the Lower Lakes.
The Murray-Darling Basin Authority is expected to face questions about the desal plant, Lock Zero and the impact of heavy rains across the northern basin at a hearing in Canberra on Friday.
The authority has warned the flush of water down the Darling could severely impact water quality, and even lead to fish deaths, after a build-up of organic matter on the river bed during the drought.
Mr Pitt said the water could reach Menindee Lakes by the end of this month. He is working with NSW to ensure it delivers long overdue water resource plans, which set out rules for how water is managed.
He wouldn’t comment on whether federal funding would be withheld if NSW failed to deliver but said: “I’ll be looking at all options. Partial delivery ... is better than no delivery.”