Desalination plant at Billy Lights Point
The Eyre Peninsula urgently needs a desalination plant.
A desalination plant at Billy Lights Point is the quickest solution to ensuring water security for the Eyre Peninsula. Marine science research undertaken to date indicates that with the right engineering design, a desalination plant at Billy Lights Point can be built with minimal impact on the marine and coastal environments.
The Eyre Peninsula urgently needs a desalination plant.
A desalination plant at Billy Lights Point is the quickest solution to ensuring water security for the Eyre Peninsula. Marine science research undertaken to date indicates that with the right engineering design, a desalination plant at Billy Lights Point can be built with minimal impact on the marine and coastal environments.
Contact us
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Phone 0477 448 544 Email epdesal@sawater.com.au
Project Information Centre
6/50 Liverpool St, Port Lincoln
Tuesday – 10am to 5pm
Wednesday – 12pm to 6pm
Thursday – 8am to 3pm
Or by appointment.
Follow Project
Media centre
- SA Water to deliver additional actions to protect EP water security - April 2024
- Opportunity for EP businesses to get involved in desalination project - February 2024
- EP desalination plant design changes informed by key stakeholders - February 2024
- EP desal reference group to provide community input - May 2023
- Community invited to hear from scientific experts on EP desalination plant - April 2023
- Billy Lights Point preferred site for desalination plant - March 2023
- New desal site chosen to secure EP’s water future - October 2021
- EP desalination site options to be explored - April 2021
Project timeline
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2008
Desalination plant at Billy Lights Point has finished this stageSA Water's Long Term Plan for Eyre Region endorsed by the community
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2020
Desalination plant at Billy Lights Point has finished this stageLocations for desalination plant investigated
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2021
Desalination plant at Billy Lights Point has finished this stageBilly Lights Point site selected for desalination plant
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2022
Desalination plant at Billy Lights Point has finished this stageSite Selection Committee established
Marine Science Review Panel established and additional monitoring of the marine environment ongoing
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2023
Desalination plant at Billy Lights Point is currently at this stageBilly Lights Point site announced
Development of design for the desalination plant and supporting infrastructure
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2024
this is an upcoming stage for Desalination plant at Billy Lights PointConstruction of the new desalination plant expected to begin
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mid-2026
this is an upcoming stage for Desalination plant at Billy Lights PointPlant fully operational and first water delivered
Learn more
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Research
- Marine Science Forum Summary Notes - September 2023 (218 KB) (pdf)
- Response to the independent review of the SARDI report entitled 'Oceanographic monitoring and far-field modelling to inform desalination in Boston Bay' by A/Prof. Jochen Kaempf - March 2023 (457 KB) (pdf)
- SARDI Oceanographic monitoring and far-field modelling to inform desalination in Boston Bay - February 2023 (7.27 MB) (pdf)
- Marine Characterisation of Water Quality at Billy Lights Point and Point Boston, Port Lincoln - December 2022 (2.8 MB) (pdf)
- Desalination ecotoxicity review - December 2022 (1.04 MB) (pdf)
- Boston Bay Marine Habitat Video Analysis - March 2023 (1.51 MB) (pdf)
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Marine Science Review Panel
- Guiding Principles (151 KB) (pdf)
- Meeting statement - 23 November 2023.pdf (60.7 KB) (pdf)
- Meeting statement - 15 September 2023.pdf (60.7 KB) (pdf)
- Meeting statement - 7 July 2023.pdf (54.7 KB) (pdf)
- Meeting statement - 15 May 2023.pdf (99.2 KB) (pdf)
- Meeting statement - 9 December 2022.pdf (96.5 KB) (pdf)
- Meeting statement - 10 June 2022 (152 KB) (pdf)
- Meeting statement - 27 June 2022 (152 KB) (pdf)
- Chair's report to Site Selection Committee - June 2022 (163 KB) (pdf)
- Chair's report to Site Selection Committee - August 2022 (155 KB) (pdf)
- Chair's report to Site Selection Committee - September 2022 (264 KB) (pdf)
- Chair's report to Site Selection Committee - October 2022 (148 KB) (pdf)
- Chair's report to Site Selection Committee - December 2022 (110 KB) (pdf)
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Site Selection Committee
- Site Selection Committee Terms of Reference.pdf (227 KB) (pdf)
- Site Selection Committee Meeting Minutes - 8 February 2022.pdf (170 KB) (pdf)
- Site Selection Committee Meeting Minutes - 11 February 2022.pdf (319 KB) (pdf)
- Site Selection Committee Meeting Minutes - 24 February 2022.pdf (584 KB) (pdf)
- Site Selection Committee Meeting Minutes - 3 March 2022.pdf (590 KB) (pdf)
- Site Selection Committee Meeting Minutes - 7 March 2022.pdf (638 KB) (pdf)
- Site Selection Committee Meeting Minutes - 11 April 2022.pdf (648 KB) (pdf)
- Site Selection Committee Meeting Minutes - 19 May 2022.pdf (635 KB) (pdf)
- Site Selection Committee Meeting Minutes - 7 June 2022.pdf (635 KB) (pdf)
- Site Selection Committee Meeting Minutes - 30 June 2022.pdf (638 KB) (pdf)
- Site Selection Committee Meeting Minutes - 14 July 2022.pdf (359 KB) (pdf)
- Site Selection Committee Meeting Minutes - 4 August 2022.pdf (644 KB) (pdf)
- Site Selection Committee Meeting Minutes - 8 August 2022.pdf (588 KB) (pdf)
- Site Selection Committee Meeting Minutes - 25 October 2022.pdf (231 KB) (pdf)
- Site Selection Committee Meeting Minutes - 9 November 2022.pdf (302 KB) (pdf)
- Site Selection Committee Meeting Minutes - 19 December 2022.pdf (193 KB) (pdf)
- Site Selection Committee Meeting Minutes - 10 February 2023.pdf (313 KB) (pdf)
- Site Selection Committee Assessment Criteria.pdf (512 KB) (pdf)
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Eyre Peninsula Desalination Plant Working Group
- Eyre Peninsula Desalination Plant Working Group Terms of Reference - September 2022.pdf (333 KB) (pdf)
- Eyre Peninsula Desalination Working Group - Monthly progress report - August and September.pdf (478 KB) (pdf)
- Eyre Peninsula Desalination Working Group - Monthly progress report - October.pdf (162 KB) (pdf)
- Eyre Peninsula Desalination Working Group - Monthly progress report - November.pdf (99.8 KB) (pdf)
Frequently asked questions
- Where does the Eyre Peninsula currently get its water from?
- Why do we need a desalination plant?
- How does the desalination process turn seawater into drinking water?
- Why does the desalination plant need to be at Billy Lights Point?
- Why wasn’t the Site Selection Committee’s recommendation of Sleaford West accepted?
- How much water will the desalination plant produce?
- When will the desalination plant start supplying water to the Eyre Peninsula?
- Who will receive the desalinated water?
- How much will the desalination plant cost to build? How is the project being funded?
- Why can’t the Adelaide Desalination Plant supply water to the Eyre Peninsula?
- Will the desalination discharge affect the marine environment? What research has been conducted regarding salinity in the bays and dispersion of the discharge?
- Why don’t you store the desalination discharge on land and harvest the salt through evaporation?
- Will the intake pull in fish and mussels like a vacuum cleaner?
- What happens to desalination discharge during dodge tides?
- How will salinity levels at the outfall location be monitored?
- The desalination plant will be located near the wastewater treatment plant and stormwater outlets, will that affect the safety and quality of desalinated water?
- What’s happening with the Northern Water project?
Help with contacting us
Deaf, hearing or speech impaired customers.
Contact us through the National Relay Service and ask for SA Water on 1300 729 283.
- TTY users phone 133 677 then ask for SA Water on 1300 729 283
- Speak and Listen users phone 1300 555 727 then ask for SA Water on 1300 729 283
Calling from overseas
You can contact us on +61 8 7424 1735
Postal address
PO Box 693, Port Lincoln SA 5606