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Efficiency measure projects in South Australia

View the Advisory Statement: The Basin Plan’s final 450 GL – why recovering and delivering this water is important for all of us

Efficiency measures

Efficiency measures are an agreed component of the Basin Plan to recover 450 gigalitres of water. This water aims to deliver enhanced environmental outcomes throughout the Murray system, including floodplains in NSW and Victoria, and is particularly important for maintaining the health of the Coorong and Lower Lakes.

Efficiency measures projects improve water use practices and save water for the environment. They are part of the Basin Plan’s Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism, which is in place to benefit the environment and communities across the Murray-Darling Basin.

As part of the agreement under the Murray Darling Basin Plan, $1.5 billion is available from the Australian Government to improve water efficiency and return 450 gigalitres of water to the environment by 2024.

As well as benefiting irrigators, communities and the environment, this funding better prepares irrigators and communities to manage the impacts of a changing climate by improving water use practices and saving water.

Importantly, projects need to have positive or neutral socio-economic impacts on Murray Darling Basin communities and industries and water savings must be verified by an independent approved irrigation professional.

In South Australia, investments in water saving infrastructure through the Basin Plan have resulted in increased individual and community productivity and the return of water to the environment.

Efficiency measure projects in South Australia

On 3 March 2021, the Hon Keith Pitt MP, Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia announced changes to the efficiency measures water recovery strategy, with the opening of a new off-farm program and the closure of the Water Efficiency Program to new applications.

Under the new program, $1.33 billion will be available for state-led off-farm projects, $150 million in Commonwealth managed grants for off-farm projects and $60 million for state-led on-farm projects.

All on-farm project applications lodged under the Water Efficiency Program prior to 3 March 2021, will continue to be assessed, and if approved, receive their full funding until they are completed.

The South Australian Government has also been investigating innovative urban projects which could return water towards the 450 gigalitres of efficiency measures through two state-led projects. State-led projects are developed and submitted by the South Australian Government and, if agreed, will be delivered and funded in accordance with an agreed Commonwealth – State project agreement.

The South Australian Government has finalised two feasibility studies on ways to substitute River Murray water for alternative water sources in an urban setting. The first feasibility study investigated opportunities to use the Adelaide Desalination Plant to substitute for River Murray Water and the findings have been published in the final report. The second state-led project investigated opportunities to substitute River Murray water with treated stormwater and wastewater in some metropolitan Adelaide local council areas. This feasibility study was completed in mid-2021 and is currently being considered by the South Australian and Australian governments.

Find out about other irrigation industry opportunities.

Socio-economic assessment

Applications to undertake water saving projects in South Australia under the former Water Efficiency Program are assessed against the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council additional socio-economic criteria in accordance with the application assessment process.

Queries about the assessment of applications against the additional socio-economic criteria in South Australia can be sent to DEW.EfficiencyMeasures@sa.gov.au.

The outcome of South Australian Water Efficiency Program applications assessed against the socio-economic criteria are recorded in the tables below and are also available as an overall summary:

Table 1. Projects compliant with socio-economic criteria that have undergone public consultation and been approved for funding by the Australian Government

Project type

Link to proposal

Location

Total water saving (ML)

Water recovery (ML)

Increase in water available for production (ML) as a result of the project (retained by applicant)

On-farm

377618

New Residence

69.9

14.2

55.7

On-farm

593879

Lyrup

28.7

3.1

25.6

On-farm

34765

Lyrup

165

104.3

60.7

On-farm

492985

Waikerie

77

50.5

26.5

On-farm

250766

Langhorne Creek

4.9

3.3

1.6

On-farm

84383

Barmera

27.4

6.7

20.7

On-farm

981448

Murray Bridge

30.3

10.7

19.6

On-farm

267387

Pyap

174.9

154.3

20.6

On-farm

78251

Cooltong/ Renmark

123.0

99.9

23.1

On-farm

953607

Winkie

16.0

5.0

11.0

On-farm

91035

Loxton North

17.6

11.4

6.2

On-farm

414923

Overland Corner

48.1

29.6

18.5

On-farm

386869

Lyrup

89.2

29.9

59.3

On-farm

929814

Lyrup

105.9

24.3

81.6

On-farm

753594

Lyrup

14.25

3.0

11.25

On-farm

377235

Langhorne Creek

31.2

21.7

9.5

On-farm

483049

Glossop

28.2

18.4

9.8

On-farm

763514

Cobdogla

12.9

3.9

9

On-farm

555488

Langhorne Creek

32.0

20.3

11.7

On-farm

629771

Loveday

10.8

4.1

6.7

On-farm

617470

Loveday

11.0

3.0

8.0

On-farm

793278

Loxton North

13.5

8.4

5.1

On-farm

325939

Renmark

33.8

16.3

17.5

On-farm

50965

Loxton

6.0

3.4

2.6

On-farm

278878

Renmark

12.5

3.0

9.5

On-farm

622693

Renmark

37.6

36.8

0.8

On-farm

314639

Loxton

105.65

58.8

46.85

On-farm

643974

Renmark

17.4

9.2

8.2

Total

1344.7

757.5

587.2

Table 2. Projects compliant with socio-economic criteria that have undergone public consultation and not been approved for funding by the Australian Government

Type of project

Link to proposal

Location

Total water saving (ML)

Water recovery (ML)

Increase in water available for production (ML) as a result of the project (retained by applicant)

-

-

-

-

-

-

Table 3. Projects compliant with socio-economic criteria that have undergone public consultation, been recommended by the South Australian Government and are currently subject to detailed assessment by the Australian Government

Type of project

Link to proposal

Location

Date SA approval granted

Total water saving (ML)

Water recovery (ML)

Increase in water available for production (ML) as a result of the project (retained by applicant)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Total

-

-

-

Table 4. Projects compliant with socio-economic criteria that have received in-principle approval from the South Australian Government and recommended to proceed to the Australian Government public consultation stage

Type of project

Link to proposal

Location

Date SA in-principle approval granted

Total water saving (ML)

Water recovery (ML)

Increase in water available for production (ML) as a result of the project (retained by applicant)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Total

-

-

-

-

-

-

Table 5. Projects that did not proceed to public consultation

Type of project

Link to proposal

Location

Total water saving (ML)

Environmental water recovery (ML)

Increase in water available for production (ML) as a result of the project (retained by applicant)

-

-

-

-

-

-