Parliamentary Committees

Public Works Committee: Upper Paskeville Earth Bank Storage Reline Project

Adjourned debate on motion of Ms Digance:

That the 510^th report of the committee, on the Upper Paskeville 100 ML Earth Bank Storage Reline Project, be noted.

(Continued from 25 February 2015.)

Mr GRIFFITHS (Goyder) (11:44): I am happy to make a contribution on this, given that the project is within the Goyder electorate. I speak in support of the project. Yorke Peninsula is challenged, in that it has 16 communities that do not have a reticulated water supply at all. There is considerable pressure on the reticulated network to supply as much as is required, so the investment by SA Water in this project is a very welcome one.

It goes back some time. I recollect that in about 1999 or 2000 there was an outbreak of blue-green algae, I think, in the Paskeville storage capacity, which meant that one of the dams—and there are two, north and south—had to be taken offline and all on the Yorke Peninsula network, which is defined as within the Yorke Peninsula Council area, were unable to use their reticulated water supply from SA Water. That was a bit of a crisis situation—I think it was also pretty close to an Easter weekend—and it created the need for investment to occur.

Immediately after that there was investment, with the bladder situation put in place that ensured there was no risk of fouling of the water or contamination of that kind. That project was welcomed, as is this one. I think it is an example of where SA Water is making investments in water infrastructure in appropriate locations to ensure the guarantee of supply.

In saying I congratulate SA Water on this and appreciate the report that has been prepared by the Public Works Committee on it, I note that SA Water is proposing to construct—reasonably soon, actually—a new 37-kilometre pipeline that will provide water supply to Warooka and Point Turton residents. This is currently supplied by the Para-Wurlie Basin, which will be taken off-line because of the fact that that basin is rather challenged; water quality is an issue there but quantity is also an issue. SA Water has presented it to the Public Works Committee, which will be subject to consideration of a later report here, but it is an example of where I fully support the investment occurring.

It is a good thing for the community and it demonstrates that, no matter where it is located, the investment is occurring when a project is a priority. However, it is subject to really good advice, and good advice has to come through to ensure that, with competing priorities and demands, appropriate investment occurs. I would like to think that, no matter who is in government, that is what the focus is, particularly from the non-government organisations when it comes to investment needs.

I support the report from the Public Works Committee that has come in and, on behalf of Goyder residents and the people who visit that community, I am very grateful for the investment that has occurred.