Mound Springs

In reply to the Hon. M.C. PARNELL (17 November 2020).

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services): The Minister for Environment and Water has advised:

As outlined in the South Australian Government Gazette on 27 August 2020, BHP's water extraction from the Great Artesian Basin (GAB) will not be increasing, and will remain up to a total maximum of 42 megalitres per day (ML/d) annual average or 15.3 gigalitres per annum.

Predicted impacts on specific springs were identified in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Olympic Dam mine and GAB water extractions in 1982, and in the mine expansion EIS in 1997.

Successive South Australian governments have been working with all landholders, including BHP, to control uncapped bores and replace open bore drains to minimise wastage to improve the health of GAB springs.

Since the year 2000, we have seen 59 bores capped and achieved water savings of 49.9 gigalitres per annum and measured recovery of aquifer pressures.

The South Australian government continues to facilitate landholder access to the commonwealth government's Improving GAB Drought Resilience Program.

The program provides co-funding on a 50:50 basis for landholders who are accessing water from the GAB for water supply infrastructure projects that reduce water loss, improve aquifer pressure and the health of basin-dependent springs.

The Far North Prescribed Wells Water Allocation Plan has been in place since 2009. A key objective of the management regime established by the plan is that the taking of water must not have an unacceptable impact on spring ecology, particularly at high value sites.