A staggering 1.5 billion litres of water each year has been saved along the Murray River and pollution massively reduced through an engineering solution that benefits both business and the environment. Salisbury Council in South Australia has played a leading role in halting a possible major business relocation by implementing a highly effective environmental solution.
Created by a partnership of the three levels of government and private enterprise, the Parafield Partnerships Urban Stormwater Initiative is a world class example of engineering innovation and integrated catchment management that provides a blueprint for other councils and communities.
The creation of wetlands to cleanse stormwater was Salisbury Council’s key strategy to help the ecological rehabilitation of the environmentally fragile Barker Inlet, while providing cheaper water to local industry.
The project:
- provides local industry, irrigators and the community with recycled water at a significantly cheaper rate and of better quality than mains water
- eliminates flooding problems within the Parafield Airport catchment
- reduces the burden on the River Murray, from which Michell Australia sourced about 1.5 billion litres of mains water each year
- helps eliminate pollutants flowing into the Barker Inlet.
The project collects water from a catchment area of 1,600 hectares and manages stormwater in the area to the north and east of Parafield Airport, a general aviation airport in the middle of the Salisbury Council area.
Located next to the Parafield Airport, wool and leather manufacturer Michell Australia was paying a premium for about 1.5 billion litres of mains water each year, mostly from the River Murray, as part of his wool cleansing operations. The water used to wash the wool produced large quantities of effluent and sludge.
The costs of fresh water and sewerage disposal were high enough to force the company to consider alternative cheaper locations, potentially resulting in the loss of around 700 local jobs.
Council’s Director Contract Management, Colin Pitman, said the project has been supported by the Department of Water Resources, the Northern Adelaide and Barossa Catchment Water Management Board and the Commonwealth Government’s Environment Australia Urban Stormwater Initiative.
“The $4.1 million project has delivered a biological solution to a stormwater problem and created a valuable resource for sustainable development,” he said.
The City of Salisbury contributed almost $2.5 million and was responsible for the design, engineering and establishment of the reed beds.
Michell Australia contributed just over $1 million for linking the development to its processing plant and infrastructure with the remainder being funded by the Commonwealth and the Water Management Board. Through this project, Michell Australia now use quality recycled water that is cheaper than mains water and reduces the burden on the River Murray.
For further information contact Colin Pitman on (08) 8406 8215.
