Water and dry conditions

South Australia is the driest state on the driest inhabited continent, and good water management is vital for quality of life, public wellbeing and the natural environments of its towns, cities and communities.

Smart water management is the foundation for the state’s economy, and makes SA more liveable, sustainable and productive.

As we prepare for warmer and drier conditions, we all have a role to play in managing water sustainability, now and into the future, to ensure appropriate water security levels are maintained.

Where do we get our water?

South Australia has a wide range of sources that are used to supply water. Groundwater and water from dams, streams, rivers and reservoirs provide most of the water used across the state.

In many parts of the state, recycled water – including stormwater and treated wastewater – help provide additional water for irrigating crops, parks and gardens.

Desalinated water is another important source. In metropolitan Adelaide, the Adelaide Desalination Plant (ADP) has produced drinking water since late 2011.

The ADP is the state’s largest desalination plant. It was built to safeguard water supplies for metropolitan Adelaide and to ensure that sufficient water is available in extremely dry years.

The ADP can supply up to 300 megalitres (300 million litres) daily. It can produce 100,000 megalitres (100 billion litres) annually, which is about half of the water needs for the city.

The volume of water supplied from the ADP supplements water available from Mount Lofty Ranges reservoirs and the River Murray.

Additional desalination plants across South Australia provide drinking water to regional communities.

Reservoirs are the state’s primary water storage areas to supply homes and businesses across South Australia.

Adelaide’s 10 reservoirs hold about 200,000 megalitres of water – about one year’s supply – when full. SA Water publishes updates on reservoir levels.

How hot and dry has it been?

Our climate is already changing and future projections indicate an increased likelihood of warmer and drier conditions, and more frequent extreme weather events, in coming decades.

Globally, 2024 was the warmest year on record and the first when the average temperature exceeded 1.5⁰C above pre-industrial levels.

Extreme dry conditions are being observed across much of South Australia, where many regions experienced one of their driest seasons on record or rainfalls very much below average.

These conditions also have been observed in regions that traditionally have higher rainfall.

Rainfall totals across South Australia were among the lowest 10% of all years since 1900 across central and eastern agricultural districts, including areas of lowest on record on Yorke Peninsula.

Yorke Peninsula, Eyre Peninsula and the South-East regions were in serious to severe rainfall deficiency for most of the year.

Mean maximum temperatures were among the highest 10% of all years since 1910 for most of SA, including an area of highest on record from Yorke Peninsula to the Mid North and Riverland.

What is water security and who is responsible?

Water security means having an acceptable quantity and quality of water for people, industry, agriculture and the environment, now and into the future.

Responsibility for water security is shared between public and private entities involved in the regulation, management, treatment, distribution and use of water.

Ensuring long-term water security requires stakeholders and the public to agree on acceptable water quality, quantity, cost and reliability, and how those requirements can be met now and in the future.

In South Australia, numerous government agencies are responsible for managing water resources.

SA Water

• Supplies water to about 750,000 households and businesses across South Australia.
• Does not provide a water carting service to individual properties except where necessary due to interruption of SA Water managed supply.

Other Water Industry Entities (local government, private providers)

• Supply drinking and non-drinking water to households and businesses.
• Remove and treat wastewater from households across the state.

Department for Environment and Water

• Undertakes hydrological and ecological monitoring of water resources, including scientific investigations to better understand water resources.
• Manages the water licensing system, which allows individuals and businesses to own and trade water entitlements, and ensure water is used within sustainable limits.
• Prepares and maintains a State Water Demand and Supply Statement - the latest being the February 2022 statewide Water Security Statement.

Landscape boards

• Prepare statutory water allocation plans for natural water resources in prescribed areas in accordance with the Landscape South Australia Act 2019.

SA Health

• Ensures drinking water is delivered to consumers in accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act 2011.

Environment Protection Authority (EPA)

• Protects water quality and regulates the treatment of wastewater.

Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA)

• Supports primary producers and administers grant funding for on-farm drought resilience infrastructure.

Essential Services Commission of South Australia (ESCOSA)

• Issues licences to water service retailers, sets minimum standards to protect consumers and conducts price determinations to ensure customers pay a fair and reasonable price for services.

Bureau of Meteorology (BOM)

• Publishes latest forecasts, and long-range weather and climate outlooks.

Individuals and businesses

• Construct and maintain necessary infrastructure to access and store water.
• Regularly monitor self-supplied water – rainwater tanks, bores etc.

What if I supply my own water and I’m not connected to a network (SA Water or another)?

Households not connected to the SA Water network, or other suppliers, are responsible for maintaining their own water supply, generally through bores and rainwater tanks or dams.

Self-supplied households should regularly monitor water storages to ensure that adequate supplies are available to meet their household needs.

If monitoring indicates that water supply may be insufficient, property owners may need to take action.

This could include lowering or repositioning of pumps in groundwater wells, increasing rainwater tank capacity or connecting additional roof areas to existing tanks.

Households reliant on water tanks for their water supply may need to use commercial water carters if natural resources, including rainwater capture, are unable to meet demand.

Although the use of water carters is routine for many, it is acknowledged that this level of planning and preparedness will be a new process for some.

Those households are encouraged to book deliveries through registered drinking water providers before their storages run dry.

Emergency bulk water collection points have been established to help households with their domestic needs while a water delivery is secured.

Rebates or subsidies are not available for water carting to properties in the Greater Adelaide region.

Landholders are encouraged to refer to the Bureau of Meteorology for latest climate outlooks to help their planning.

How to save water … and money

There are numerous ways – shorter showers, turning off taps and efficient watering – that South Australians can effectively save water indoors and outdoors.

Implementing these tips can help conserve water and reduce your water bills.

Indoors

• Install water-efficient fixtures: Use water-efficient showerheads, taps and dual-flush toilets to reduce water usage significantly.
• Fix leaks: Regularly check for, and repair, any leaks in taps, toilets and pipes. Even small leaks can waste a lot of water over time.
• Shorten showers: Aim to keep showers under 4 minutes. This can save a substantial amount of water.
• Use full loads: Only run dishwashers and washing machines with full loads to maximise water efficiency.
• Turn off taps: Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, shaving or washing your hands.

Outdoors

• Water-wise gardening: Choose native or drought-resistant plants that require less water. Mulching can also help retain soil moisture.
• Efficient watering: Water your garden early in the morning or late in the evening to reduce evaporation. Use a drip irrigation system to target the roots directly.
• Collect rainwater: Install rainwater tanks to collect and store rainwater for garden use.
• Cover pools: Use a pool cover to reduce water evaporation when the pool is not in use.
• Follow watering restrictions: Adhere to local watering restrictions and guidelines to ensure water is used efficiently.