Community conversations on EP desalination

As part of its ongoing engagement with the Eyre Peninsula community on a planned seawater desalination plant for the region – which will help ensure long-term drinking water security – SA Water will next week be holding drop-in sessions at Port Lincoln.

The utility has begun investigating alternative sites for the plant, to determine if a new location would enable a more cost-effective delivery than the current preferred position near Sleaford Bay, which has presented constructability challenges.

While Sleaford Bay isn’t being ruled out, suitable sites closer to Port Lincoln are now also being explored.

SA Water’s General Manager of Strategy, Engagement and Innovation Anna Jackson said its project team will be on hand at the information sessions to answer any questions about the alternative site assessment process and provide the latest progress updates.

“Having conversations with the community is an important part of the way we plan and deliver projects, and these works for a desalination plant on lower Eyre Peninsula are no exception,” Anna said.

“We’ve already begun speaking to groups like local councils about the potential for a new plant location and are now continuing this engagement with other stakeholders in the region, including residents, businesses and industry representatives, landholders and local Aboriginal communities.

“Understanding a wide variety of views and priorities will help reach a result that best reflects everybody’s needs.

“Extensive environmental and technical investigations are also key to determining the most appropriate positioning for the desalination plant and supporting infrastructure, and to achieve the most cost-effective outcome for customers. We expect to undertake work such as land and marine surveys in the coming months.

“If a new preferred location is identified, details will be presented to the wider community for feedback.”

SA Water is holding community drop-in sessions on 28 and 30 April at the Lincoln Marine Science Centre. To make sure everyone is COVID-Safe, registrations are required and sessions are limited to 20 minutes with a maximum of 30 people per session.

To register or for more information on the project, people can visit watertalks.sawater.com.au.

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