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At present, irrigators extract about 15,000 ML of water from the Northern Adelaide Plains aquifer every year. However, the sustainable yield is generally considered to be between 8-10,000 ML annually.
An expansion of the existing Virginia Pipeline Scheme, which is a cooperative enterprise between Virginia market gardeners and other irrigators, SA Water and the private sector, will solve this problem.
Meeting the Challenge
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Strategy 12: Opportunities for further expansion of schemes which substitute recycled water for groundwater use in some parts of the Northern Adelaide Plains will be investigated.
Completion date: 2010
Lead agency: SA Water |
Reports, progress and links:
The Virginia Pipeline will be extended from Bolivar to Angle Vale at a cost of $4.7 million, with the South Australian government contributing more than $2.5 million and the Commonwealth $2.035 million.
The primary purpose of this project is to reduce the overuse of the groundwater resources and reduce discharge of nutrients into the marine environment.
The proposed extension will be northeast of the existing pipeline and include just over 20 kilometres of new pipe. It will bring up to 3000 megalitres (ML) per year of Class A reclaimed water from the Bolivar treatment plant to irrigators in the Angle Vale area, taking the total to 18 billion litres.
The project will help to:
• Increase horticultural production,
• Reduce nutrient discharge to the Gulf St Vincent,
• Reduce demand pressure on the over-allocated and over-used groundwater.
Planning and design work is already well underway.
For more information please refer to the National Water Commission and SA Water websites.
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