Billy Lights Point selected for desalination plant

Climate, Environment and Water Minister Susan Close, this morning, announced the government had accepted the advice of the SA Water Board for Billy Lights Point, "should the project proceed".

The desalination plant site selection committee had put its preference on a site at Sleaford West, with committee chair Peter Treloar saying there were concerns from the aquaculture industry about the potential impacts of the Billy Lights Point site.

Ms Close said the Billy Lights Point site would cost an estimated $313 million - $150m less than the Sleaford West estimates.

She said the Sleaford West site also posed a number of geological and transport challenges that would be difficult to overcome.

Mr Treloar said it was disappointing for the committee and the aquaculture sector that its recommendations had been discarded, but acknowledged there was a significant shortfall in funding, and they had been unable to identify additional funds.

"Paramount in my mind is water security," he said.

Mr Treloar said the planned plant would only be on a small-scale - about 5.3 gigalitres a year, compared with that of Adelaide at 100gL/year.

"It is quite a small plant but critical," he said.

Modelling suggests the southern EP could run out of water by 2025, and impact long-term on the Uley South Basin.

Ms Close said SA Water was committed to working with stakeholders within the aquaculture industry to ensure the design of Billy Lights Point did not impact on the industry.

"The Adelaide Desalination Plant, constructed by SA Water, has had no negative impact to the marine environment and we expect this to be the case at Billy Lights Point," she said.

She said a SARDI report into the environmental impacts of Billy Lights Point found it could be built without negatively impacting the local marine environment while oceanographic modelling showed once the plant was operational, long-term salinity levels in the bay would remain within natural background levels.

She said, as a former industrial site, situated away from residential properties and set back from the coastline, there will be less impact on residents and the natural environment.

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Ms Close has criticised the former Liberal government, saying the plant was first considered in 2018 and delays since then have caused costs to rise each year.

Mr Treloar said water security on EP had been an issue since European settlement, while a desalination plant had first been suggested in 2002.

He had concerns about the wording in the government's announcement that indicated there was no certainty a desalination plant would be constructed at all.

The government estimates there would be up to 230 jobs created during construction with Port Lincoln locals prioritised for employment.