Bordertown Water Supply

Mr McBRIDE (MacKillop) (15:08): My question is again to the Minister for Housing. Could the Minister for Housing please inform the house about its investment into water at Bordertown and its future needs, and what investments are further needed to shore up that town's expansion into the future?

The Hon. N.D. CHAMPION (Taylor—Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Minister for Housing Infrastructure, Minister for Planning) (15:08): I thank the member for MacKillop for his interest both in housing and in water. He is a persistent local member, one who is very dedicated to practical solutions. In Bordertown, we know there's a big housing challenge there and we know that there's consequentially also a big challenge with drinking water. The aquifer there has a freshwater lens over a saltwater aquifer. We have come to the natural limits of growth in Bordertown, so SA Water is undertaking investigations to basically put in place water security for the future and to enable the growth of Bordertown.

I have gone out with the local member to the industrial estate, to the new housing estate with, I think, 60 blocks. The Office for Regional Housing is investing in that housing estate to get it going. There is no good in releasing land if it were not serviceable, and the investigations which are going to underpin the sorts of investments that we will be doing at Bordertown will underpin that housing growth in time.