Reusable water could boost SA economy by $250m
Business SA has backed calls by the State Government for federal funds to upgrade the Bolivar treatment plant and deliver reusable waste water that could boost horticultural production by around $250 million a year.
In the wake of last week’s go-ahead for the Gawler Water Reuse Scheme – that will clean 1.6 billion litres of harvested storm water a year and store it in an aquifer for later use by the Seppeltsfield winery and local reserves and school ovals – Business SA’s chief executive, Nigel McBride says the Federal Government should now turn its attention to another reusable water project in South Australia.
“We applaud the Federal Government’s $10.7 million commitment to the Gawler project which confirms the economic and environmental value of reusing our scare water resources,” McBride said.
“We would now welcome seeing Canberra’s support for the proposed upgrading of the Bolivar waste water treatment plant that could supply reusable water for an expansion of the horticultural sector to Adelaide’s near north,” he said.
“With the pending loss of traditional manufacturing and with growing interest from big consumers like China, South Australia needs to capitalise on its strengths in areas like ‘clean and green’ horticulture to provide the sustainable economic growth and the jobs of the future.”
The Bolivar project is listed in the Federal Government’s Green Paper on Agricultural Competitiveness but only as “likely to be suitable for further consideration for possible assistance to accelerate feasibility studies, cost benefit analysis or design”.
However, in its December response to the Green Paper, the State Government takes a different view and says the project “should be reclassified into the highest priority category” for funding within the next 12 months.
“The SA Government has determined that 3,600 hectares of predominantly new horticulture (broad-acre and greenhouse vegetables) and intensive livestock production can be delivered by upgrading the Bolivar treatment plant to deliver an additional 20 gigalitres of reclaimed water,” the Government’s submission says.
“This would increase Gross Value of Production on the Northern Adelaide Plains by around $250 million each year. This project is ‘shovel-ready’ because the concept and technology have been proved through development of the adjacent Virginia Pipeline Scheme, which has provided a similar volume of ‘Class A’ water to horticulturists since 1999.
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“Public investment in the order of $170 million is needed to install a new pump-filtration plant as well as pipelines and storages. On-farm investment approaching $300 million would complement the public investment.”
In its submission on the Green Paper, Business SA said the Bolivar project would “also ensure less waste water is discharged into Gulf St Vincent and with it comes additional environmental benefits”.
“Furthermore, it is important that this prime agricultural land on the flank of Adelaide is utilised to its greatest export potential, which will be further enhanced with Government funding of the Northern Connector (transport) project,” Business SA said.
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