Review shows Eyre Peninsula’s drinking water supplies secure to 2024-25

News article | 12 August 2014

The annual review of Eyre Peninsula’s water demand and supply shows the region’s drinking water can now be considered secure until at least 2024-25 - 4 years longer than February 2013 estimates.

The projection comes from the annual review of the Eyre Peninsula Demand and Supply Statement – an initiative of the State Government’s Water for Good plan.

The Eyre Peninsula Statement, first released in April 2011 and reviewed annually, outlines the condition of all water resources for both drinking and non-drinking purposes, the projected demands on these resources, and the likely timing of any possible future demand-supply imbalance.

“This current adjustment is based on updated projections which show population growing at a lower rate than originally estimated,” DEWNR’s Executive Director for Water and Climate Change, Julia Grant said.

“There is also more groundwater available due to the ongoing recovery of the groundwater basins in the region. Earlier reviews also showed that climate change will have a less immediate impact on water resources than projected by the original statement,” Ms Grant said.

The 2013 annual review was released last Friday at Wudinna Community Club where the Regional Eyre Peninsula Water Security Reference Group met to discuss the findings with EPNRM Board, SA Water, EPLGA, local councils and Regional Development Australia (Whyalla and Eyre Peninsula).

The Presiding Member of the EP Natural Resources Management Board Heather Baldock said the previous annual review of the statement, released in February 2013, indicated that demand for drinking-quality water was projected to exceed supply in 2020-21.

“The current review shows that based on an increase in allocations in the Southern Basins Prescribed Wells Area, where information is drawn from an extensive network of monitoring wells, demand for drinking quality water is now projected to exceed supply four years later than predicted in 2013,” she said.

“While this is good news, the Board will continue to remain vigilant and ensure that we continue to review supply and demand. Ms Baldock said that the EP NRM Board expects to release a draft of the new Water Allocation Plan for the Southern Basins and Musgrave Prescribed Wells Areas later this year which will further improve how allocations are determined.

“The Eyre Peninsula community will have an opportunity to comment on drafts of the new plan,” she said.

View the full version of the demand and supply statement.