Backing SA Basin communities to save precious River Murray water

Salisbury, Charles Sturt, Playford, Marion and Onkaparinga councils and the Eastern Region Alliance Water ‒ which is a joint venture between Burnside, Norwood, Payneham and St Peters, and Walkerville councils ‒ have received funding under the South Australian Alternative Water Supply Efficiency Measures (AWSEM) Program.

The AWSEM Program supports local governments to build infrastructure that reduces the amount of water they draw from the River Murray.

The projects will allow councils to use alternative water sources – such as captured stormwater or treated wastewater – to offset industrial use and irrigate parklands and ovals helping to save potable water and improve water security for green areas under a drying climate. 

New stormwater harvesting, upgraded infrastructure networks and an expanded water capture basin in Adelaide’s north are among the measures set to be rolled out by the end of 2027.  

The program will generate up to 1,890 megalitres (ML) of water savings across the six projects and contribute 1,769 ML of South Australian River Murray High Security entitlements towards the Basin Plan’s 450 gigalitre water target to enhance environmental outcomes for the Murray-Darling Basin.

The AWSEM Program is funded through the Australian Government Resilient Rivers Program, which supports initiatives to improve and modernise water delivery infrastructure and reduce water losses in the Basin.

The South Australian Government will run the program in partnership with South Australian local government authorities and other stakeholders. More information is available here: Department for Environment and Water - Alternative Water Supplies.