The South Australian Government has announced work has started on the $30 million wetlands project in Adelaide’s South that will, at capacity, capture 2.8 billion litres of stormwater each year.

 

Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water, Senator Don Farrell, South Australian Minister said the project would reduce reliance on mains water and provide a more sustainable water source for irrigating local parks, reserves and sports fields.

 

“Wetlands will be constructed at Happy Valley and Reynella East, and enhanced at Seaford Rise and Aldinga Beach to capture, treat and store stormwater for reuse,” he said.

 

“Pipelines will also be built to connect the new wetlands with an existing stormwater harvesting site at Christies Creek to allow for the transfer of water between catchments.”

 

The Federal Government is contributing $14.9 million to the project through the Water for the Future initiative, with the State Government providing $7.5 million.

 

“Water Proofing the South is a terrific example of Federal, State and Local Governments working together to exceed this ambitious target. It is innovative stormwater harvesting and reuse projects such as this one that are helping to ease the pressure on drinking supplies and deliver improved water quality,” State Water Minister Paul Caica said.

 

This project builds on Water Proofing the South Stage 1, which was completed in 2011. Stage 1 features projects that will deliver 3.8 billion litres of agricultural, viticultural and urban water each year for reuse, and provide 1.1 billion litres of additional storage.