Eden Valley water supply investigation

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Eden Valley sits between our Swan Reach to Paskeville pipeline to the north and the Mannum to Adelaide pipeline (MAPL) to the south. The MAPL system provides raw water to the South Para Reservoir which in turn feeds the Barossa Reservoir and Water Treatment Plant, as well as being a primary source for water supplies into metropolitan Adelaide. The investigation into water supply for Eden Valley is considering the options for using existing water sources and supply systems to meet longer term existing and projected future demand across metropolitan and regional areas.

Currently, Eden Valley relies on ground and catchment water allocations. Scenarios that bring an additional water supply to the area to enable the irrigation of vineyards and meet primary production requirements are being investigated.

To inform our investigation, we sought a better understanding of current water use patterns, storage requirements and plans for growth in the region if a new water supply should become available. Surveys of growers and producers in January and May 2020 received a strong, positive response and the information gathered is a crucial input to our water system planning investigation.

Current status

All Eden Valley investigations are now part of the broader Barossa New Water investigation and detailed business case being led by PIRSA. At this time please refer any enquiry regarding recycled water or Raw Water supplies to Eden Valley to PIRSA.BarossaNewWater@sa.gov.au


Eden Valley sits between our Swan Reach to Paskeville pipeline to the north and the Mannum to Adelaide pipeline (MAPL) to the south. The MAPL system provides raw water to the South Para Reservoir which in turn feeds the Barossa Reservoir and Water Treatment Plant, as well as being a primary source for water supplies into metropolitan Adelaide. The investigation into water supply for Eden Valley is considering the options for using existing water sources and supply systems to meet longer term existing and projected future demand across metropolitan and regional areas.

Currently, Eden Valley relies on ground and catchment water allocations. Scenarios that bring an additional water supply to the area to enable the irrigation of vineyards and meet primary production requirements are being investigated.

To inform our investigation, we sought a better understanding of current water use patterns, storage requirements and plans for growth in the region if a new water supply should become available. Surveys of growers and producers in January and May 2020 received a strong, positive response and the information gathered is a crucial input to our water system planning investigation.

Current status

All Eden Valley investigations are now part of the broader Barossa New Water investigation and detailed business case being led by PIRSA. At this time please refer any enquiry regarding recycled water or Raw Water supplies to Eden Valley to PIRSA.BarossaNewWater@sa.gov.au


  • Previous investigations

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    SA Water, in partnership with the Barossa Grape and Wine Association (BGWA) have previously prepared four high-level concept plans showing high level infrastructure requirements to bring raw water from the Mannum to Adelaide Pipeline (MAPL) into Eden Valley and surrounding areas.

    The four concept plans can be found here or in the Document library section, called Eden Valley concept design options.

    Each concept plan was based on the supply of 3.2 Gigalitres of water initially to meet water demands to the respondents to the SA Water and BGWA surveys in 2020.

    Based on preliminary feedback from BGWA, the options were prepared and are illustrated on the plans.

    The cost estimates provided in the table below are a desktop level class of estimate, with significant contingency allowance, and adopting a number of assumptions which have not been validated through any on-ground investigations. Some of the major assumptions that have been made are:

    • That a significant amount of rock would be encountered during construction
    • The chosen alignment follows road corridors, some of which contain significant trees and sensitive native vegetation requiring costly construction techniques
    • No detailed site surveys have been completed therefore a pipeline material capable of dealing with higher system pressure has been adopted

    Scheme Options

    Scope Overview

    Desktop level class of estimate (million)

    Full Scheme
    • Approximately 153 km of pipeline
    • 1 x pump station, 1 x booster pump station
    • 5 x Storage tanks

    $370m

    Transfer main only
    • Approximately 29 km of pipeline
    • 1 x pump station
    • 1 x storage tank

    $134m

    Transfer and ring main (large)
    • Approximately 54 km of pipeline
    • 1 x pump station, 1 x booster pump station
    • 5 x storage tanks

    $160m

    Transfer and ring main (small)
    • Approximately 46 km of pipeline
    • 1 x pump station, 1 x booster pump station
    • 3 x storage tanks

    $152m

    Apart for the Full Scheme, the scheme options listed are based on SA Water delivering and maintaining ownership of portions of the scheme. Landowners will be required to jointly coordinate, develop and deliver private network infrastructure to supply water to the farm gate of all survey respondents.

Page last updated: 04 Nov 2022, 01:25 PM