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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-09-19 Daily Xml
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PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE: HOPE VALLEY AND HAPPY VALLEY WTP CRYPTOSPORIDIUM MANAGEMENT

Mr ODENWALDER (Little Para) (11:41): I trust this one will be a little less controversial. I move:

That the 454th report of the committee, entitled Hope Valley and Happy Valley WTP Cryptosporidium Management, be noted.

The South Australian Water Corporation (SA Water) proposes to upgrade the existing water treatment facilities at the Hope Valley and Happy Valley water treatment plants, at an estimated cost of up to $23.125 million, excluding GST. I will not go into all the technical aspects, but the key aims of the project are to ensure that metropolitan Adelaide's drinking water continues to meet the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, to improve the management of pathogens such as cryptosporidium and improve capability of the WTPs to provide good-quality drinking water in terms of its aesthetic quality. The project is expected to be completed by June 2013. Given this, and pursuant to the act, the committee reports to parliament that it recommends the proposed public works.

The Hon. R.B. SUCH (Fisher) (11:42): One of these plants is in my electorate. It is interesting to note that the northern plant is in Hope Valley and the southern one is in Happy Valley, so you have a choice between hope and happiness.

This is a very important project. Happy Valley reservoir, which is now over 100 years old, is linked to Mount Bold by an underground tunnel, which was dug at great human cost many years ago. It has a bypass drain around it, which people think is for stormwater, but it was put there to divert tailings from the silver mine at Aberfoyle Park around the reservoir. It is the holding basin initially for the desalination plant and it is very important that water quality is maintained, which this plant will help achieve.

I commend SA Water and the government for this project in my electorate, because I think about 55 per cent of Adelaide's drinking water comes from the Happy Valley reservoir. As I said, the water is ultimately sourced from Mount Bold and the River Murray, and now from the new desalination plant. This is a very important project to ensure that this particular nasty bug is kept out of the system and that Adelaide can maintain its high standard of quality drinking water.

Mr PENGILLY (Finniss) (11:44): The opposition found both this project and the next one very interesting. We had two water treatment plant projects. Cryptosporidium is an issue that needs to be dealt with. We were most happy to discuss this matter in the hearing. We asked some additional questions. I am not quite sure where this cryptosporidium and other issues are going to end up, but we support the report and are happy to get on with it.

Motion carried.

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