Great Artesian Basin project saves water

Each year, more than one thousand mega litres of water have been saved since the Improving Great Artesian Basin Drought Resilience (IGABDR) program, which co-funds water saving measures, began three years ago.

Pastoralists in SA reliant on the Great Artesian Basin are among landholders with 13 completed water infrastructure projects returning an estimated 1,240 ML in annual water savings.

Projects completed to-date have included: repair, decommission and re-drill of wells with uncontrolled flow; replacement of failing and leaking headworks, pipes, tanks and troughs; and installation of new infrastructure to make a water-tight distribution.

Innovative flow control projects that manage tank and trough levels preventing overflow have also been funded under the program.

Among landholders in the SA Arid Lands that have completed works as part of the program are Sharon and Graham Betts of Mungerannie Station, and Tony and Jackie Williams from Mount Barry.

The owner of Mungerannie Station, Sharon said the program has been a big advantage to her family and to the artesian basin.

“This has enabled us to prevent the wastage of the water that was not being harnessed to be controlled, and also has given our stock good clean drinking water,” she said.

“Being able to replace aging pipe work will also help with wastage control as the old pipe was forever splitting and therefore wasn’t controlled. Also, having a grant that spreads over a good number of years is an advantage.”

Tony and Jackie Williams from Williams Cattle Company, acknowledged the federal government initiative in conserving GAB water by assisting with 50 per cent of the funding towards installing automatic shut off systems on solar bore pumps, and decommissioning failed artesian wells and the drilling of replacement GAB wells.

A further 11 infrastructure projects in South Australia are approved and currently in progress or planned for completion before the program ends mid-2024.

Owners of GAB wells and surface infrastructure in need of repair or replacement are encouraged to submit an expression of interest as soon as possible to check project eligibility and secure funding.

Find out more about the program at www.landscape.sa.gov.au/saal/water/ Improving_Great_Artesian_Basin_ Drought_Resilience or contact Aaron Smith on 8463 7916 or aaron.smith3@sa.gov.au