Adelaide

Surface water legislation

Surface water resources including watercourses in the Adelaide region are managed according to the Natural Resources Management Act 2004 (the Act). The Act sets the framework for water planning and management including provisions for declaring a water resource to be prescribed, that is, requiring a water allocation plan and a licence or other authorisation to abstract water. Water-affecting activities that do not pertain to the extraction or use of water are provided for through water-affecting activity permits.

The Waterworks Act 1932 (South Australia) consolidates certain legislation relating to water supply. The Water Conservation Act 1936 (South Australia) establishes specific legislation concerning the conservation of water. The Sewerage Act 1929 (South Australia) incorporates legislation providing for sewerage and cleansing of the metropolitan area and other places.

Water management plans

The Natural Resources Management Act 2004 (South Australia) enables the water resources of an area to be prescribed. Following prescription, the development of a water allocation plan is required. Water allocation plans set principles and objectives for the management of water resources through the determination of environmental water provisions, granting of water entitlements and management of water-affecting activities through works approvals, site use approvals and permits.

Water allocation plans are prepared by the relevant natural resources management board (NRM Board). The Adelaide region lies within the responsibility of the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges NRM Board. The Murray-Darling Basin NRM Board is also relevant to the Adelaide region because it is responsible for developing the Water Allocation Plan for the River Murray Prescribed Watercourse. River Murray water is vital for supplying the water needs of the region. The South Australian Department for Water coordinates the adoption of water allocation plans by the Minister for Environment and Conservation and administers the plans following adoption.

 The prescribed surface water areas in the Adelaide region in 2009–10 were:

• Barossa prescribed water resources area – the water allocation plan for this area is operational
• Little Para prescribed watercourse – this watercourse was prescribed in 1978, but does not have a water allocation plan. It will be covered by the Western Mount Lofty Ranges Plan when operational
• Western Mount Lofty Ranges prescribed water resources area – a Notice of Prohibition is in place for this area and a water allocation plan is under development. This plan also covers the watercourses on the Adelaide Plains including the Gawler, Little Para, Torrens and Onkaparinga watercourses.

These areas are shown in Figure A1.

Figure A1. Map of surface water management areas in the Adelaide region

Groundwater legislation

Groundwater in the Adelaide region is managed according to the Natural Resources Management Act 2004 (the Act). The Act sets the frameworks for water planning and management including provisions for declaring a water resource to be prescribed, that is, requiring a water allocation plan and a licence or other authorisation to abstract water. Water-affecting activities that do not pertain to the extraction or use of water are provided for through water-affecting activity permits.

Groundwater management plans

There are several operational and draft water allocation plans covering groundwater (underground water) in the Adelaide region (Figure A2).

The prescribed groundwater areas with water allocation plans operational during 2009–10 were:

• Barossa prescribed water resources area
• McLaren Vale prescribed wells area
• Northern Adelaide Plains prescribed wells area

The prescribed groundwater areas with water allocation plans in development during 2009–10 were:

• Western Mount Lofty Ranges prescribed water resource area
• Central Adelaide Plains prescribed wells area – this area will be covered by the Western Mount Lofty Ranges prescribed water resources area water allocation plan when adopted.

Figure A2. Map of groundwater management areas in the Adelaide region

Environmental water legislation

Environmental water in the Adelaide region is managed according to the Natural Resources Management Act 2004 (South Australia), which is administered by the Minister for Environment and Conservation in South Australia. The Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board is the regulatory agency established to manage the natural resources (including environmental water) in the Adelaide region on behalf of the Minister, together with the Department for Water, the Department for Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Primary Industries and Resources.

Environmental water provisions

Environmental water provisions within the Adelaide region are managed by the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board and the Department for Water. The provisions vary for each prescribed area.

Barossa Prescribed Water Resources Area

• The Barossa water allocation plan recommends target streamflow regimes for surface water and low flows to bypass dam storage on watercourses.
• Limits on the total volume of water captured and stored in farm dams. Construction of farm dams is managed through a permit for water-affecting activities. Relevant policies are described in section 7.2 of the Barossa water allocation plan.

McLaren Vale Prescribed Wells Area

• Qualitative requirements for the groundwater-dependent ecosystems within the area can be found in Section 2.1.4 of the McLaren Vale PWA water allocation plan.
• Water users are required to hold a water-affecting activity permit for activities involving groundwater resources.

Northern Adelaide Plains Prescribed Wells Area

• The Northern Adelaide Plains water allocation plan outlines environmental requirements for the maintenance of important groundwater-dependent ecosystems in the area.
• Water users are required to hold a water-affecting activity permit for activities involving groundwater resources.

Water allocation plans for the Adelaide Plains prescribed wells area and the Western Mount Lofty Ranges prescribed water resources area are under development. These plans will include environmental water provisions.

The organisations responsible for water management in the Adelaide region are presented in Table A1.

Table A1. Roles and responsibilities for organisations and utilities