The Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board has announced work will begin immediately on a revised water allocation plan to sustainably manage water allocations to address a significant decline in the region's available fresh underground water resources.
The board decided to immediately commence a combined review and amendment of the water allocation plan for the region's prescribed groundwater resources.
This decision comes after annual scientific investigations and modelling from the Department for Environment and Water highlighted underground water resources in the southern basins would no longer sustainably meet the demands for water supply on Eyre Peninsula in the short term.
It is intended the revised plan, which will set out the rules for managing the use of prescribed water resources in the region for the next decade, will be submitted by the end of 2025.
This will allow new water licences to be issued in July 2026, up to a year earlier than would otherwise have occurred if separate review and amendment processes were undertaken.
As a major water licensee in the region, and the only licence holder for the Uley South, Uley Wanilla and Lincoln South basins, the board advised SA Water of the change in timing for the water licences.
Uley South Basin recorded water levels below or very much below average in almost half of its wells during the past 12 months.
To address the issue, amendments are expected to be included in the new plan that will significantly reduce SA Water's pumping allowance from the Southern Basins and it is expected this reduction will improve the long-term sustainability of the resource by enabling water levels to stabilise and thereby minimising the risk of seawater intrusion.
The board also considers it likely the volume of water SA Water will be allocated to extract from Uley Wanilla Lens and Lincoln Basin will be very low and possibly zero, as both are under extreme stress and are no longer viable water sources.
The board is investigating options for further restricting take from these two resources sooner if required.
SA Water said while it was proceeding with plans for a desalination plant at Billy Lights Point, it would now undertake an urgent review of its broader water security response plan, to protect drinking water supplies for the region and vital groundwater sources.
Following this advice, SA Water will review its plan to prepare for all scenarios, including what actions may need to be taken in response to this proposed licensed water reduction or if there are significant delays to the utility's proposed desalination plant and will complete a review of its broader water security response plan with key local stakeholders and the community in coming weeks.
A state government spokesperson said delivering a new, climate-independent source of drinking water for the Eyre Peninsula remains critical to providing long-term water security for more than 35,000 people living and working on the Eyre Peninsula.
"SA Water is proceeding with plans to build a new seawater desalination plant at Billy Lights Point, to supply drinking water to the region by mid-2026," they said.
"In the event there are significant delays to the delivery timeframe of SA Water's proposed desalination plant or there are reductions to its licensed water volumes, it's likely there would be a shortfall in SA Water's ability to meet customer water demand, compared with the volume the utility could sustainably source from the Uley South Basin.
"SA Water is planning for all scenarios, including any possible delays from a planning or construction perspective, to protect vital groundwater sources and the region's drinking water supplies until this critical desalination plant is operating."
State opposition spokesperson for water resources Nicola Centofanti said the announcement of the latest review of the Eyre Peninsula Water Allocation Plan is consistent with legislative requirements for a review every 10 years and is timely, considering the SA Parliament has decided to take an in-depth look at EP water through our Select Committee.
"Although very little water has been extracted for domestic use from the Lincoln and Uley Wanilla basins in recent years, it does give an indication of the importance of the Uley South basin as a water supply for the Eyre Peninsula, as well as the necessity of investment into a desalination plant for critical, non-climate dependent water," she said.
"Several factors, including ongoing concerns raised by the EP community about a desalination plant at Billy Lights Point, were considered when establishing the (parliamentary select) committee.
"It is crucial there is a long-term plan and big picture perspective when it comes to Eyre Peninsula water, not just decisions made simply out of convenience or based on cutting costs.
"Our committee will look at all aspects of water supply and distribution on the Eyre Peninsula, including the proposed desalination projects, and I look forward to hearing from local voices who understand all the nuances of the region's water supply."
