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The State Government has introduced Permanent Water Conservation Measures. These are sensible, responsible and simple measures to ensure we all play a role in saving our water resources now and in the future.
Meeting the Challenge
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Strategy 13: The SA Government will explore ways of better managing groundwater resources in the Adelaide urban area to prevent them from being over exploited.
Completion date: 2010
Lead agency: Department of Water, Land & Biodiversity Conservation |
Reports, progress and links:
The Central Adelaide Groundwater Area was prescribed on 7 June 2007 (Central Adelaide Prescribed Wells Area). Prescription establishes a water allocation and licensing system to sustainably manage extraction from the resource. This means that people taking groundwater for a commercial purpose will generally require a licence. This licence provides a secure and potentially tradeable access entitlement. A fact sheet on prescription can be downloaded here.
The Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board is in the process of developing a water allocation plan for the Central Adelaide Groundwater Area, in consultation with the community. The process of water allocation planning is time and resource intensive, involving significant discussions and consultation with the community, technical investigations and other work. However, this is vital to ensure the best outcome for all water users and the sustainability of this important resource. For information on the process and progress towards developing the Water Allocation Plan, please visit the Central Adelaide Prescribed Wells Area Water Allocation Plan weblink.
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Strategy 14: Current permanent water conservation measures, applicable to mains
water users, may be extended to include groundwater and other water resources following a period of community consultation.
Completion date: 2010
Lead agency: Department of Water, Land & Biodiversity Conservation |
Reports, progress and links:
Various management options including permanent water conservation measures for some non-mains water resources have been investigated and some targeted consultation undertaken. As a consequence of drought and other factors, on 7 December 2007 the Minister for Environment and Conservation declared a temporary moratorium on the issuing of new well permits in the majority of the Central Adelaide Groundwater Area, in order to assist the management of the groundwater resources of that area. During the period of the temporary moratorium, no further licences will be issued other then for limited exceptional circumstances. This situation will be reviewed in the second half of 2008.
Prescription of the other water resources in the Mount Lofty Ranges and Central Adelaide Plains Prescribed Wells Area, will also lead to sustainable use of water from those resources. |