The government of South Australia announced on Friday an investment of AUD 33 million (US 23 million) for a new desalination plant to be built on Kangaroo Island, Australia’s third-largest island, located 70 miles southwest of Adelaide.
The facility is to be built adjacent to the existing plant at Penneshaw, reports The Islander. The new construction will be part of a $47.8 million plan (US 33.5 million), which includes putting down new pipelines that will connect the plant with the rest of the Island.
The state government is working closely with the federal government to secure the additional funding required for the pipelines.
The two-megalitre a day seawater desalination plant will create approximately 500 jobs, and it is estimated that in the next 15 years, add more than $200m of economic value to Kangaroo Island.
Premier Steven Marshall announced the new plan highlighting the facility would boost drinking water security, as well as aid the local tourism and agricultural industries by improving the Island’s water infrastructure.
Mr Marshall said: "The summer's devastating bushfires highlighted the water infrastructure issues faced on Kangaroo Island and a new desalination plant will improve water security and supply.”
The new desalination plant will complement the existing 400-kilolitre a day Penneshaw Desalination Plant and the 540-megalitre Middle River Reservoir as drinking water sources, supplying KI through an interconnected pipeline network.
