Adelaide
4.1 Irrigation water supply system

Supporting information

The irrigation water supply system included volumes of water held within the pipe and tanks infrastructure from the three major irrigation schemes located within the Adelaide region. The opening and closing balances reported (29 ML) did not change as there was no new infrastructure added to these irrigation schemes in the 2011–12 year. The volumes of water held in irrigation schemes are provided in the following table.

Volume of water stored in Adelaide region irrigation scheme's pipes and tanks infrastructure
Irrigation scheme Storage volume at 30 June 2012 (ML)
 Storage volume at 30 June 2011 (ML)
Barossa Ifrastructure Limited (BIL) 19 19
Virginia Pipeline Scheme (VPS) 10 10
Willunga Basin Water Company (WBWC) 0
 0
Total 29 29

Quantification approach

Barossa Infrastructure Limited (BIL)

Data source

Hard copy map of pipe network.

Provided by

BIL.

Method

BIL operates a network of approximately 189 km of pipes. The total pipe lengths and corresponding pipe diameters were obtained from a 2009 hard copy map of the BIL pipe network. Lengths and diameters were then used to calculate the total volume stored in the pipes if 100% full, according to the equation:

V = π × (d/2)2 × (L/1000)
where:
  V = volume (ML)
  d = nominal pipe diameter (m)
  L = length of section (m).

Assumptions, limitations, caveats and approximations

  • Pipes were under pressure and therefore were 100% full at all times.
  • The 2009 hard copy map of the BIL pipe network was an accurate depiction of the network for the 2011–12 year.
  • The nominal pipeline diameters recorded on the map represent the internal diameter of the pipeline.
  • An analysis determined that 96% of BIL's pipe network was within the Adelaide region. This discrepancy was assumed to be negligible.

Uncertainty information

The uncertainty estimate is not quantified.

Virginia Pipeline Scheme (VPS)

Data source

Water Infrastructure Group.

Provided by

Water Infrastructure Group.

Method

The VPS includes approximately 130 km of pipes and a storage pond which receives water directly from Bolivar Wastewater Treatment Plant. The volumes of water held in these pipes and the storage pond were estimated from their total capacity. The storage pond holds approximately 5 ML of water and the pipeline network holds 4.5 ML.

Assumptions, limitations, caveats and approximations

  • Pipes were under pressure and therefore were 100% full at all times.
  • The storage pond is assumed to be at 100% capacity.

Uncertainty information

The uncertainty estimate is not quantified.

Willunga Basin Water Company (WBWC)

Data source

WBWC.

Provided by

WBWC.

Method

Pipes and storages that form part of the WBWC's infrastructure are emptied between May and October.

Assumptions, limitations, caveats and approximations

  • The residual water in the WBWC's pipes and tanks following drainage is negligible.

  • WBWC uses the community wastewater management system as an operational storage. They pump water into and out of the lagoons to balance out fluctuations in customer demands and address pipe capacity issues. The volume of wastewater in the treatment lagoons is not counted as part of the irrigation scheme.

  •  Pipes and tanks are completely empty.

Uncertainty information

The uncertainty estimate is not quantified.