Parliamentary Committees

NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE: EYRE PENINSULA WATER SUPPLY

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (16:31): I move:

That the report of the committee, entitled Eyre Peninsula Water Supply—Under the Lens, be noted.

In October 2011, the Natural Resources Committee was approached by the member for Flinders, Mr Peter Treloar, to consider an inquiry into the Eyre Peninsula water supply. Water resources and supply have been a major issue for the peninsula since European settlement in the 1900s. In the member's own words: 'There is no other issue that creates the interest and passion on Eyre Peninsula.' After hearing the member's concern and speaking with other interested parties, the committee determined to inquire into the matter and put the issues 'under the lens'.

Problems with water management on Eyre Peninsula are compounded by the region's remoteness. The closer you get to the Western Australia border the more residents seem to feel they have been forgotten by a state capital more focused on events in suburban Adelaide. Our call for submissions elicited a deluge of submissions—59 so far—and more than 25 requests to present in person to the committee. To put this into perspective, this was a greater response than to the recent call for submissions into the Murray-Darling Basin draft plan.

The water resources of Eyre Peninsula, which members heard were in fact better described as a cape in strict morphological terms, are unique in South Australia. Nearly all the naturally-occurring water is found in fragile limestone lenses resting atop ancient bedrock. The lenses fill following major rainfall events like large contiguous underground storage tanks. Groundwater flows in a southerly direction, contributing to a network of wetlands, soaks and springs that support local ecosystems. Much of this water—up to 10,700 megalitres annually—is extracted for distribution to major population centres, including Port Lincoln, via SA Water's pipe network. A percentage of the available water is extracted by landholders for stock and domestic use. Some of the water eventually discharges directly from aquifers into the sea.

The committee heard that extraction in previous decades has resulted in a number of aquifers becoming degraded, thus compromising their ability to provide secure water supplies into the future. As one would expect, with past extraction levels widely considered unsustainable, significant efforts and expenditure on water resource planning has been undertaken. However, despite these efforts, many in the community remain convinced that future management of resources looks set to be ineffective and are openly questioning the commitment of government agencies to sustainable water resource management.

In addition to the concerns regarding levels of extraction, the committee heard that mineral exploration and mining proposals may threaten the integrity of the remaining intact aquifer system, including the Uley South lens, the main water supply aquifer for Port Lincoln. The committee was also alarmed at the depth of division in the community regarding water resource management. Historically, a number of water sources for Eyre Peninsula have been investigated. SA Water considered building a desalination plant at Sleaford Bay and the Tod Reservoir, but then opted to extend the Morgan-Whyalla pipeline.

Local councils, including Ceduna and Streaky Bay, have investigated and developed wastewater and stormwater recycling and have creative suggestions for improving water resource management, including developing small-scale desalination plants and dams and tanks to catch the surface water run-off. In fact, the community visited the Scotdesco Aboriginal site, where they actually store rainwater collected locally. It is quite an innovative scheme.

There have also been discussions on harvesting fresh water as it is discharged from the marine environment. This technology is untested in Australia, but it appears to warrant further investigation as the volumes of water lost in this way (and potentially available for capture and use) are significant. While there is disagreement, there are also points of agreement. Most of the feedback the committee has received from stakeholders suggests a consensus that less water needs to be extracted from the limestone lenses to ensure their sustainability.

The committee has also made just one recommendation in this interim report, and that is that the parliament fund the committee to engage an expert to provide valuable, independent, technical advice on the Eyre Peninsula water supply. The committee looks forward to bringing to bear additional resources to facilitate a detailed analysis of the complex issues at play, including the considerable evidence already collected to ensure a thorough investigation. All up, we anticipate this inquiry will run for 12 months. The committee's final fact-finding visit to Eyre Peninsula is scheduled for early November 2012, and we look forward to receiving further evidence from interested parties and viewing a number of key sites to further enhance our understanding of these issues.

I commend the members of the committee: Presiding Member the Hon. Steph Key MP, Mr Geoff Brock MP, the Hon. Robert Brokenshire MLC, the Hon. John Dawkins MLC, Mrs Robyn Geraghty MP, Mr Lee Odenwalder MP, Mr Don Pegler MP, and Mr Dan van Holst Pellekaan MP for their contributions. Finally, I thank members of the parliamentary staff for their assistance. I commend this report to this chamber.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. J.S. Lee.