SA Water is rethinking water use and its role in creating sustainable communities. With a focus on innovation, it is leading the charge towards a cooler, greener future in South Australia.
Using water for cooling is a central part of SA Water’s strategy. Implementing efficient irrigation techniques creates refreshing parks and green spaces that benefit the community. Air temperature sensors in public areas track the cooling effect of these green spaces, highlighting their importance in mitigating heatwaves, urban heat islands, and climate change.
Education is also key to SA Water’s approach. Through community partnerships, water education programs, and native garden demonstrations, it shares water knowledge and fosters reconciliation. SA Water supports grassroots projects that prioritise sustainability, healthy communities, and environmental leadership.
Understanding the significance of greenery to thriving communities, SA Water encourages strategic tree planting that protects water assets and increases tree canopy coverage. Innovative tools such as the online Healthy Pipes map locate water infrastructure to inform planting decisions.
Innovation shines through in projects like the tree root barrier trial, designed to prevent tree root intrusion in sewers without harming the trees. This improves wastewater services, and preserves essential tree canopy coverage.
SA Water’s commitment to sustainability and collaboration inspires others to adopt sustainable practices, and to build thriving communities and a prosperous future for South Australians.
RESILIENT WATER FUTURES
Planning a sustainable future in a changing climate
Over the next 50 years, the demand for water will increase while our drying climate will reduce available sources. The water systems in Greater Adelaide will need to be resilient in the face of future uncertainty and increasing extreme weather such as floods, bushfire and drought.
Resilient Water Futures is a cross government collaboration led by SA Water to consider new and different approaches to secure a sustainable and resilient water supply for future generations. All water sources will be considered – reservoirs, rivers, seawater, stormwater and purified recycled water.
Implementing integrated water management requires changes to how the water sector operates and significant collaboration and innovation will be key to creating a whole-of-system approach.
By managing the entire urban water cycle through integrating the delivery of drinking water, wastewater, recycled water and stormwater services, we will support water security, public health, and environmental and urban amenity outcomes that South Australian communities value and expect.
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
Embracing innovation to deliver trusted water services
SA Water is focused on delivering exceptional customer experiences, reducing risks, and driving operational efficiencies.
By harnessing the power of increased data and automation, SA Water successfully predicts and manages operations across its treatment plants, assets, and networks. This proactive approach helps minimise service interruptions and can prevent asset failures. Through the expanded use of sensors, robotic inspections, and improved diagnostics, SA Water provides tailored and efficient services to meet evolving customer needs.
SA Water combines on-premises infrastructure with cloud platforms, offering flexibility in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. Robust cybersecurity measures safeguard critical infrastructure while enabling automation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning initiatives to ensure it is operating efficiently.
Innovation and collaboration with partners is strengthened through advanced capabilities including exploring how space technology can improve efficiency, accuracy and safety, and reduce environmental impacts.
SA Water’s technology-driven improvement and forward thinking approach ensures it continues to meet the needs of its customers and the South Australian community now and into the future.
ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP
Clean green energy to power our water services
South Australia’s water and sewage treatment and pumping operations are energy intensive, making SA Water one of the state’s largest energy users.
A world first in the water industry, SA Water’s Zero Cost Energy Future program is Australia’s largest behind-the-meter solar project, featuring 242 gigawatt hours of solar generation and 34 megawatt hours of battery storage, across 33 sites around the state. With 12 sites generating more than 5 megawatts, SA Water connected an unprecedented scale of large renewable energy generation sites to Australia’s national energy market.
Zero Cost Energy Future delivers sustainable outcomes for customers, while achieving positive environmental benefits and reducing a large operational cost.
The $390 million program single-handedly reduced SA Water’s carbon emissions by more than 89,000 tonnes a year, and provides a blueprint for other water utilities to transition to a lower carbon economy.
