The City of Onkaparinga is being recognised for its innovative water management approach in response to the challenges of drought, population growth, industrial demand and climate change.
This approach is being recognised at all levels including:

• The Water Conservation Award at the 2010 National Keep Australia Beautiful Sustainable Cities Awards.
  
  
• The Stormwater Industry Association’s 2010 national award for excellence in strategic or master planning.
  
  
• Water Industry Alliance’s 2010 alliance award.
  
  
• Local Government Manager’s Association 2010 South Australia excellence in sustainability award.
  
  
• Our program leader winning the title of South Australia’s Young Water Professional of the Year by the Australian Water Association. Highlights of the strategic and innovative approach include our:
  
  
• Water Proofing the South initiative including the Christie Creek upgrade.
  
  
• Aldinga Hart Road wetland.
  
  
• Major irrigation water savings resulting through diligent management and control.

Foundations of our water management solutions
Several wastewater and stormwater management schemes exist within the city to support the region. While each is important in its own right, these schemes evolved somewhat independently and without a single, clear vision or target to maximise re-use.

Bringing together these existing schemes to achieve a sustainable water management solution required a vision that was bold and realistic enough to engage the existing project owners and commit resources. The result was Water Proofing the South.

Water Proofing the South Delivering a city’s vision to harness and integrate alternative sources of water
Water Proofing the South was devised to deliver a localised integrated water resource management strategy entirely within the City of Onkaparinga. It aims to provide ‘fit-for-purpose’ alternative water sources to traditional sources such so that overall water use in the region is sustainable.

Stage 1 – capitalising on reclaimed water infrastructure and laying the foundations for stormwater reuse
The $185M first stage has resulted in 3.8GL of reuse, which would cover the playing surface of Adelaide’s AAMI Stadium to the top of the goal posts approximately 30 times. The project has also received $34.5M in funding support from the Commonwealth Government together with contributions from Flinders University and the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board.

With existing schemes in place, more extensive infrastructure has been required to deliver the desired increase in the use of recycled water. Through the unique collaboration between the City of Onkaparinga, SA Water and the privately owned Willunga Basin Water, we have collectively implemented:

• Upgrades to the Christies Beach and the Aldinga Waste Water Treatment Plants to improve water quality to the standard required for urban use.
  
  
• Up to 70km of network enhancements and expansions.
  
  
• An increase in the amount of winter storage by 1.1GL of above ground storage with complementary aquifer storage schemes.
  
  
• The reuse of surplus stormwater in the Christie Creek catchment including environmental and recreational benefits.

These projects have delivered the critical architecture necessary to further integrate the vast network of alternative water supplies in the southern areas of metropolitan Adelaide.

Stage 2 – furthering stormwater reuse in the City of Onkaparinga
The focus for Water Proofing the South Stage 2 is the capture, storage, treatment and reuse of stormwater. The objective is to offset as much as possible of the city’s mainswater demand with fit-for-purpose water.

The total cost of Water Proofing the South Stage 2 is estimated at $30M. We will receive approximately $15M funding from the Commonwealth and $7.5M from the State Government to support the delivery of the project.

The Water Proofing the South stage 2 concept includes the creation of four new wetlands and Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) schemes and an extensive network of pipe transfer infrastructure. The planning has taken an annual coastal outfall of approximately 24GL of stormwater and the need to preserve environmental flows into consideration. As a result, we will harvest approximately 2.8GL. 2.2GL will be made available for reuse with 20% preserved in the aquifer for environmental purposes.

For more information please contact Benjamin Hall at the City of Onkaparinga on (08) 8384 0595 or benhal@onkaparinga.sa.gov.au or visit www.onkaparingacity.com/wps