Sand pumping along Adelaide's southern beaches
Sand pumping uses pumping stations and underground pipelines to transfer a mixture of sand and seawater from beaches where sand is building up, to beaches where sand is eroding.
Sand pumping infrastructure is used to replenish beaches from Glenelg to Kingston Park along Adelaide's southern coastline.
What happens during pumping?
Underground pipelines have multiple intake and discharge locations allowing sand to be picked up where there is an accumulation and delivered to locations most at need across the beach system. This reduces the use of trucks for sand recycling, making it safer for the community, as well as reducing noise, congestion and the impact of trucks on roads.
During pumping, temporary infrastructure is assembled on beaches. This equipment is removed when the operation is complete. Pumping does not occur during the times of peak beach use over summer in order to minimise disruption to residents and beach users.
The underground pipeline from Glenelg to Kingston Park pumps up to 100,000m3 of sand successfully each year.
Trucks continue to be used in other sections of the coast for beach replenishment.
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