Northern Water

The proposal

Northern Water (NW, the Project) is an extensive water infrastructure and supply project to secure an alternate, sustainable, climate-independent water source to eastern Eyre Peninsula, the Upper Spencer Gulf and the Far North of South Australia. NW is being proposed by the Office of Northern Water Delivery to support current and future growth in the region and reduce the state’s reliance on water from River Murray, Great Artesian Basin (GAB) and local groundwater resources. The Project is intended to service a broad range of users including mining operations, industry (including hydrogen), Department of Defence, remote communities, pastoralists and SA Water.

The Project aims to deliver up to 260 megalitres per day (ML/d) of water through construction of a seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant located in the Spencer Gulf, comprising seawater intake and seawater concentrate outlet tunnels and associated marine works, water pump stations and water delivery infrastructure, as well as the required electricity infrastructure.

Cape Hardy on the western shore of the Spencer Gulf is the proposed desalination plant location , situated approximately 30 km north-east of Tumby Bay and 175 km south-west of Whyalla. The main trunk line runs north from the desalination plant to Olympic Dam passing Whyalla, Port Augusta, Woomera and Roxby Downs, with a proposed offtake from the pipeline to the operational Carrapateena mine.

The proposal includes the following components:

• a 130- 260 ML/day seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant, to be constructed in stages
• water intake pipes extending into Spencer Gulf and associated intake pumps
• outlet pipes and brine disposal for discharge of brine into the Spencer Gulf
• a water supply pipeline, comprising a ~600km main trunk pipeline from the desalination plant to Olympic Dam via Lincoln Gap storage:
  • lateral connections to Whyalla North water storage (~13 km) and Carrapateena mine (~58 km) and additional offtake points
  • six pump stations (and associated water storage areas)
  • six water storage areas (tanks without pump stations)
• electricity transmission line and network connection points:
  • new transformer and substation (to be supplied by the energy network provider)
• communications towers at water delivery infrastructure sites
• ancillary infrastructure and services (roads, access tracks, stormwater, water supply, power supply, telecommunications, wastewater treatment or disposal)
• temporary facilities during construction phase including laydown areas and temporary worker accommodation.

Pursuant to s.131(25) of the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016, the Minister for Planning has directed that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) be prepared, subject to the procedures and requirements of being an ‘impact assessed’ development, as if the development had been declared under s.108(1)(c) of the Act. The lodgement and processing of the application in the DAP (id 23034957) as a Crown (state agency) development under s.131(2)(a) of the Act will now cease.

Additional information on the project can also be found online at the Northern Water project page published by the Office of Northern Water Delivery.

Assessment stages and documentation