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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-02-14 Daily Xml
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GROUNDWATER

Mr BIGNELL (Mawson) (15:28): My question is to the Minister for Water and the River Murray. What is the government doing to improve our understanding of groundwater across the state?

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:28): I thank the member for Mawson for his question and acknowledge his keen interest in the work being undertaken in his electorate by Flinders University, along with his growers down there in respect to the relationship between groundwater and surface water. This government, of course, recognises that groundwater is an extremely valuable resource for our communities, our economy and our environment.

For many parts of the state, groundwater is the only reliable water source. Areas such as the South East, the Murray-Mallee, and Eyre Peninsula, just to name a few, depend on sustainable groundwater supplies for their drinking and household use, water for stock and to support irrigation and other industry. Groundwater also supports key ecosystems such as the Ewens and Piccaninnie Ponds in the state's South East, the iconic Mound Springs in the Far North, and the swamps of the Fleurieu Peninsula.

In addition to this, water is a critical resource for the growth of the state's resources sector, and this was recognised in the Resources and Energy Sector Infrastructure Council discussion paper, launched by the Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy last week. This paper highlights that detailed water information will enable developers to make informed decisions that achieve the best economic and environmental outcomes for South Australia.

This is why the state government has allocated more than $8 million this year to a groundwater program, which will gather information to guide the sustainable management of our precious water resources. Over the last two years, the program has achieved a number of significant milestones. Assessments have been undertaken of groundwater across the non-prescribed areas of the Eyre Peninsula, Northern and Yorke, and AW Natural Resources Management regions. They will also be completed for the South Australian Arid Lands and Kangaroo Island regions. These assessments will guide further investigations to identify the potential for groundwater development opportunities.

This work is in addition to state and condition reports for the Eyre Peninsula, Northern and Yorke and Greater Adelaide regions to identify emerging trends in groundwater resource conditions. Reports have also been produced to monitor the potential impacts of climate change on water resources in the Northern and Yorke regions. A similar report will be released over the coming months for the Eyre Peninsula's water resources.

Over $1 million has been invested by the state and matched by the commonwealth in the third phase of the Great Artesian Basin Sustainability Initiative to seal and rehabilitate bores and replace infrastructure to protect this iconic resource. A further $750,000 of groundwater program funds will also be used towards this important initiative. All groundwater program reports and data are available to the community, industry and government through the WaterConnect website.

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