The Adelaide region currently captures and uses between 3000 and 5000 ML each year, making SA a leader in stormwater reuse. For example, the Salisbury Council’s aquifer storage and recovery scheme treats and stores stormwater in an aquifer before it is used by industry. At Morphettville, the local racecourse captures stormwater and stores it for irrigation purposes.

Meeting the Challenge

Reports, progress and links:

Phase one of the National Water Quality Management Strategy (National Guidelines for Water Recycling - Managing Health and Environmental Risk) document has been developed.

Phase one focuses on:

• Large-scale treated sewage and grey-water to be used for:
  • residential garden watering, car washing, toilet flushing and clothes washing;
  • irrigation for urban recreational and open space, and agriculture and horticulture;
  • fire protection and fire fighting systems;
  • industrial uses, including cooling water; and
• grey-water treated on-site (including in high rise apartments and office blocks) for use for garden watering, car washing, toilet flushing and clothes washing.

Phase 2 of the national guidelines addressing stormwater reuse, managed aquifer recharge and recycled water for drinking, is well under way. The component of Phase 2 pertaining to recycled water augmentation of drinking was consulted on between June and September 2007. Draft guidelines for stormwater use and managed aquifer recharge are expected to be released in soon for public consultation.

South Australia is having considerable input to process of developing the national guidelines, through State Government representation and from other South Australians with significant expertise, including in the area of managed aquifer recharge.

Please visit the Environment Protection and Heritage Council website to view the Phase 1 guidelines and for information on the Phase 2 guidelines. Also refer to Strategy 54.

Reports, progress and links:

The Urban Stormwater Policy for South Australia was approved by the Local Government Association and then by the South Australian Government in April 2005.

An agreement between the State of SA and the Local Government Association to give effect to the Policy was signed by both parties in February 2006. View more information regarding the Urban Stormwater Initiative.

The Local Government (Stormwater Management) Amendment Act 2007, passed in 2007, gives effect to those aspects of the Agreement which require legislative backing. The Natural Resources Management Act 2004 was also amended to provide that water contained in any stormwater infrastructure is included in the definition of surface water and that a surface water prescribed area may include stormwater infrastructure.

The Local Government (Stormwater Management) Amendment Act 2007 encourages the preparation by local councils of stormwater management plans within a catchment context. The Act:

• Approves the Agreement on stormwater management entered into between State Government and the Local Government Association in March 2006
• Establishes the Stormwater Management Authority (comprising State and Local Government representation) and assigns specific functions to the Authority. The Stormwater Management Authority commenced on 1 July 2006.
• Sets out the requirements for local councils to be able to seek approval from the Stormwater Management Authority
• Establishes the Stormwater Management Fund.

A requirement under the legislation is that in developing stormwater management plans, local councils must consult with the regional Natural Resources Management (NRM) Board. Guidance to what local councils need to consider and provide in their plans is provided through guidelines approved by the NRM Council in 2006 and updated in July 2007. The guidelines encourage integrated stormwater planning and requires stormwater plans to consider potential for achieving multiple benefits such as pollution control and reuse opportunities, in addition to flood risk management.

The State Government is contributing $4 million per annum (indexed) for 30 years to stormwater funding. 

Reports, progress and links:

An Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) pilot trial was undertaken by SA Water, the Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation and CSIRO. A summary report is being prepared for public information.

An overview of the hydrogeology of the Adelaide metropolitan area was published by the Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation in early 2006. The report is available for download from the following location:

• Part 1 (5.6 MB)
• Part 2 (6.2 MB)

A report on the state and condition of the Adelaide Plains sub-aquifers completed in 2005 is available for download (1.7 MB).

A report on the potential for ASR on the Adelaide Plains was prepared for the Adelaide and Mount Lofty NRM Board and published by the Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation in 2004. The report is available for download from the following location:

• Part 1 (4.1 MB)
• Part 2 (4.7 MB)
• Part 3 (4.5 MB)

A report on the potential for ASR in fractured rocks in Golden Grove area was published in 2006 and is available for download here (2.4 MB).

Scope for possible further work will be considered with other relevant agencies including the EPA, Department of Health, SA Water, and the Adelaide and Mt Lofty NRM Board.

For more information on ASR please click here.

Reports, progress and links:

The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has obtained an Urban Stormwater Initiative grant to support this process. Studies have commenced investigating stygofauna in the Adelaide Plains Aquifers to support the review of environmental values.

In parallel, stakeholder workshops have been convened to map out a plan for management of ASR, including scoping of a pilot study to develop a framework for reviewing environmental values.

Reports, progress and links:

The new Planning Strategy approved by Government in August 2006 incorporates water sensitive urban design (WSUD) principles. The Institutionalising Water Sensitive Urban Design project is an initiative to ensure water-friendly design will be incorporated into Greater Adelaide’s suburbs, houses and commercial and industrial precincts and buildings. A key initiative of the project is to build the capacity of organisations and individuals to implement water sensitive urban design. Project completion (including the technical guides and policy module) is scheduled for late 2008. The project will assist towards the prepartion of a WSUD Better Development Plan (BDP) policy module.

Reports, progress and links:

This strategy is being implemented in conjunction with Strategy 56.

Water re-use is considered in new land divisions, such as the innovative Lochiel Park Green Village which will result in a 78 percent reduction in water use compared to a more conventional development.

The Joint Steering Committee on Water Sensitive Cities led by the Australian Government with SA representation is developing national Water Sensitive Urban Design guidelines, which are expected to be released in 2008.

The Institutionalising Water Sensitive Urban Design project also seeks to encourage increased use of local supply sources (see Strategy 47).

The Water Proofing Northern Adelaide project is a major stormwater harvesting and management initiative being advanced by the scheme‘s proponents, the Cities of Salisbury, Playford and Tea Tree Gully. The project is supported by both the South Australian and Australian Governments. A research component of this initiative is looking at whether it is possible to treat stormwater in sub-surface aquifers to a level which will comply with the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.

Reports, progress and links:

The Local Government (Stormwater Management) Amendment Act 2007 encourages the preparation by local councils of stormwater management plans within a catchment-context.

See Strategy 44 for detailed information.

Reports, progress and links:

The legislative power to prescribe water resources is established by the Natural Resources Management Act 2004. Prescription involves a process of establishing rules for allocation, licensing and taking of water from a prescribed water resource, thereby providing greater certainty for users of the resource. The Local Government (Stormwater Management) Amendment Act 2007 amended the Natural Resources Management Act 2004 so that stormwater infrastructure can be prescribed, and that the taking of water from prescribed infrastructure stormwater infrastructure can be considered as a water affecting activity. In effect, the amendments to the Natural Resources Management Act 2004 provides a significantly enhanced level of security and certainty for those wishing to access and use stormwater contained in stormwater infrastructure.

The surface and groundwater resources of the Western Mount Lofty Ranges were prescribed in October 2005. A water allocation plan for the region is being progressed for completion by December 2008. The water allocation plan will guide the allocation, transfer and management of water in the Western Mount Lofty Ranges and is being prepared by the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board.

The Central Adelaide Groundwater Area was prescribed on the 7th June 2007 and a water allocation plan for this resource is also being progressed which will provide further security and certainty for accessing groundwater within this region.

Reports, progress and links:

An Agreement between the State of South Australia and the Local Government Association on Stormwater Management (State-Local Government Stormwater Agreement) was signed by the Premier and the Local Government Association (on behalf of its constituent councils) in February 2006. The Agreement sets out responsibilities of those involved in stormwater management. The Local Government (Stormwater Management) Amendment Act 2007 gives effect to those aspects of the agreement that required legislative backing.

The Act 2007 came into operation on 1 July 2007. It :

• approves the Stormwater Management Agreement
• establishes the Stormwater Management Authority and its functions
• establishes a requirement for local councils to prepare stormwater management plans for approval of the Stormwater Management Authority
• establishes the Stormwater Management Fund (to which the State Government is contributing $4 million per year, indexed, for 30 years).

Stormwater Management Plans by a local council (or group of councils) must be prepared in consultation with the relevant regional NRM Board and in accordance with the Stormwater Management Planning Guidelines approved by the NRM Council in July 2007. The guidelines emphasise a multi-objective stormwater management approach including flood risk management, water harvesting and water quality benefits. Plans must be approved by the Stormwater Management Authority prior to funding assistance being sought from the Authority for their implementation.  

Reports, progress and links:

Several major partnership projects are occurring including Waterproofing Northern Adelaide and the Metropolitan Adelaide stormwater reuse project. Waterproofing Northern Adelaide is expected to provide 12.1 GL per year of stormwater for mains water substitution and an additional 5 Gigalitres for recharge of over-allocated aquifers.

The Metropolitan Adelaide Stormwater reuse project which is being implemented at the Grange, Royal Adelaide and Glenelg Golf Clubs. Collectively these schemes will enable up to 1 Gigalitres per year of stormwater to be harvested. The schemes will be brought on line following establishment of wetland vegetation. The scheme at Grange Golf Club is expected to be sufficiently established to allow for stormwater to be harvested during the winter of 2008. At Royal Adelaide Golf Club, a rainfall event is required to test the diversion system. Works at Glenelg are expected to commence by March or April 2008.