Northern Water Supply - Business Case

An Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) has been deployed in the coastal waters off Mullaquana Station to gather hydrodynamic data from the nearshore including wave, salinity, and currents. The ADCP is one of five deployed in the Upper Spencer Gulf contributing to an oceanographic database and Gulf model. The data collected by this ADCP will be used to refine the dispersal modelling and nearshore processes for the Mullaquana Site and provide greater detail to improve design and mitigation planning for a proposed desalination plant.

The Stakeholder Reference Group for the NWS met on 15 February 2023.

The notes from the meeting can be found here in our Document Library

What is net zero?

‘Net zero emissions’ refers to achieving an overall balance between the greenhouse gas emissions produced and those taken out of the atmosphere, so no more greenhouse gas is added to the atmosphere in any given year than is taken out (Climate Council.org.au).

Why is it important to get to net zero?

Greenhouse gas emissions trap warmth in our atmosphere and are a significant contributor to climate change. To avoid the worst impacts of climate change we need to keep the global temperature increase to 1.5o C above pre-industrial levels. It is currently at 1.1o C above these levels and as anthropogenic (human-caused) greenhouse gas emissions continue, so we expect temperatures to continue to increase.

How can we get to net zero?

Energy sources such as coal, gas and oil create around three quarters of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, so if we can replace these with renewable energy sources, such as wind or solar, this will help reduce these emissions. We can then convert this renewable energy into electricity or into green hydrogen (see below) allowing us to capture, transport and store renewable energy so it can be used in place of oil, coal and gas.

We are already seeing an increase in the popularity of electric cars, with the electricity they use provided by greener energy sources. However, there are many more opportunities to replace non-renewable energy sources with more sustainable alternatives, and green economies need to be supported as they work to reduce emissions and avoid further climate change.

For more information about South Australia’s role more generally in the transition to a green economy see here

How will the Northern Water Supply project support the transition to net zero?

Supporting green hydrogen production

Hydrogen is produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. If the power used to produce this split is sourced from renewable energy, then it is called green hydrogen. This green hydrogen can then be used to replace fossil fuels currently used in industries which can’t simply switch to electricity, such as long-distance heavy transport and manufacturing, thereby reducing their emissions.

As well as being a fuel, green hydrogen can also be used to generate electricity. Hydrogen plants are often designed to make hydrogen while there is excess energy being generated from renewable resources. This hydrogen is then used to generate electricity when renewable sources are not generating, improving stability in the electricity grid for homes and businesses. In this way, hydrogen enables us to capture and store energy for later use like a battery does.

Green hydrogen production in South Australia requires access to new and high quality water supplies. The area around Whyalla has been identified as a world class site for hydrogen production and the Northern Water Supply (NWS) project is intending to provide a sustainable source of water to this emerging green industry in the Upper Spencer Gulf.

Enabling mining of copper reserves

Copper is vital to achieving net zero. It is used in electric vehicles, batteries, and charging stations as well as being critical for the development of wind and solar power generation. There is no known substitute for copper, and supplies are low across the world due to the increase in demand over recent years. S&P Global* have stated that Unless massive new (copper) supply comes online in a timely way, the goal of Net-Zero Emissions by 2050 will be short-circuited and remain out of reach.

South Australia is home to Olympic Dam, which is the fourth largest copper resource in the world, in addition to four of Australia’s most significant copper discoveries in the past 10 years, three of which are in the Upper Spencer Gulf/Far North region.

The extraction of copper from the far north of South Australia is currently limited by, amongst other things, access to water. Not only is water required for a range of activities during the mining process itself, it is also required to support the accommodation for mining staff to be able to work in these remote areas.

The water currently used for copper extraction is mostly sourced from groundwater resources, including the Great Artesian Basin and there are concerns over the sustainability of these sources and the cultural and environmental implications of its use.

The NWS project will provide a new water source for this key industry, further supporting regional development and crucially, Australia’s work towards net zero.

Providing support for new renewable energy generation in the Whyalla area

The NWS project is committed to being powered by renewable energy. As such NWS will require a reliable, secure and local source of this energy. This requirement will support the case for new renewable energy generation in the region, increasing regional job options for young people in sustainable industries.

If you would like any more information on how NWS will contribute to the net zero transition, please call our team on (08) 8429 4650 or e-mail us at northernwatersupply@sa.gov.au

*S&P Global, 2022, The Future of Copper: will the looming gap short-circuit the energy transition p9.

The NWS team is privileged to work together with Traditional Owners as we continue our investigations for the business case. We completed an initial Cultural Heritage survey on the traditional lands of the Kokatha people in December and look forward to further opportunities to get on Country.

Participants from the Site Analysis Workshop held in October 2022 were invited to attend a follow up meeting with members of the Northern Water Supply Project Team. The meeting was held online due to people being in various locations. Presentations were delivered from team members including an overview and update on the following:

• Recent project activities
• Outcomes of the Site Analysis Workshop and the Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA)
• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) progress
• Spencer Gulf Sustainable Development Forum update
• Recent and planned stakeholder engagement

The Stakeholder Reference Group agreed to meet regularly and will have significant input into the NWS - Business Case. Initial discussions about future meeting topics and the development of Terms of Reference was also discussed and will be addressed at the next meeting in February 2023. Meeting minutes as well as the presentation from the Project Team can be found in the Document Library.

The Northern Water Supply project team is partway through a rigorous assessment process to select a recommended study site for inclusion in the business case. The final study site decision will be made by the State Government when it considers the business case.

Selecting where a new plant could potentially be built is critical. There are construction and maintenance costs to consider, as well as ensuring the location allows for access to a suitable source of water and where treated water can get to the regions that need it. We also need to look at impacts to the land and marine environments, cultural and social impacts and how resilient the site will be to further changes in our climate.

The recommended study site selection process involves three main steps

Step 1: Identify regions where a suitable site may be located

Step 2: Screens sites in the regions to determine a list of potentially feasible sites for the NWS project.

Step 3: Select the best site from the short-listed options to recommend as the study site in the business case. (We are here now)

The map below shows the outcome from steps 1 and 2

A decision about the study site will be made by the State Government as part of its overall decision on the business case. It is important to note that there will be no final site selected until all engineering and environmental studies have been completed.

The community is invited to provide feedback on the project and the potentially feasible sites. You can do this by:

• taking the Northern Water Supply - study site feedback survey
• emailing your feedback to the project team northerwatersupply@sa.gov.au 
• Contacting us on the project contact number 8429 4650

For more information about the study site selection process see the Study Site Selection fact sheet in the document library.

UPDATE now live see above.

In the coming days we will launch a new survey and close our current survey.

We will be seeking specific feedback on the three (3) shortlisted sites. Your feedback is important and will feed into Northern Water Supply - Business Case.

For now you can:

1. Subscribe for project updates by clicking the stay informed button above
2. Register for Your Say so we can notify you when the Site Feedback Survey goes live
3. Complete the current survey seeking general feedback on the Northern Water Supply - Business Case
4. Visit the frequently asked questions and document library to find out more about the project

Thanks for your interest in the project.

The Northern Water Project Team