The Northern Water Supply Project, undertaken by Infrastructure SA, is a priority initiative for South Australia and offers a unique opportunity to realise significant economic growth in the north of the State. The Project aims to provide a new and sustainable water supply to emerging and existing industries with no choice but to extract water from the Great Artesian Basin (GAB), other local groundwater resources, and River Murray, all water sources with inherent significant environmental and cultural value. A new, climate-independent, secure source of water that will serve green hydrogen, green steel, mineral production, defence, agriculture (pastoralists), and other emerging industries in northern SA provides certainty for current and future projects.
The NWS Project aims to deliver up to 260 ML/d of water from a seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant located in the Spencer Gulf, through the construction of a desalination plant, intake and outlet tunnels and associated marine works, water pump stations, water delivery and electricity infrastructure.
The successful implementation of such a large-scale infrastructure project hinges on effective stakeholder engagement strategies that foster collaboration, transparency, and inclusivity. Infrastructure SA recognises the importance of early and continuous stakeholder involvement in decision-making. By adopting a proactive approach, the Northern Water Supply project team have engaged with, a wide range of stakeholders, including community representatives, local governments, Indigenous communities, environmental organizations, and industry stakeholders. Through various channels such as public consultations, workshops, and digital platforms, we have facilitated meaningful discussions, solicited feedback, and integrated stakeholder perspectives into project planning and decision-making.
ISA would like to present our approach to stakeholder engagement, how the outcomes have helped to shape the project scope and use this forum as an opportunity for further engagement. We would like to welcome any feedback from the SETAC community as we continue to progress with the project.