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Productivity Commission National Water Reform 2020 final report

Some information on the  Productivity Commission National Water Reform 2020 final report is listed below, together with some background on water supply arrangements in SA. 

  • The Productivity Commission National Water Reform 2020 final report assesses the progress of the Australian, State and Territory governments since 2017 towards achieving the objectives and outcomes of the National Water Initiative (NWI). It also provides practical advice to Australian governments on future directions for national water reform through renewal of the NWI.
     
  • The NWI, agreed in 2004 by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), is the national blueprint for water reform, and represents a shared commitment by governments to increase the efficiency of Australia's water use, leading to greater certainty for investment and productivity, for rural and urban communities and for the environment
     
  • The NWI is reviewed on a triennial basis, with the last assessment conducted by the Productivity Commission in 2017
     
  • SA Water manages drinking water and some wastewater services to a mobile population of over 2,500 people in 22 remote Aboriginal communities, including:
  • 13 communities on the APY Lands: Indulkana, Mimili, Kaltjiti (Fregon), Umuwa, Pukatja(Ernabella), Yunyarinyi (Kenmore Park), Amata, Pipalyatjara, Kalka, Kanpi, Nyapari, Murputja and Watinuma
  • 8 communities on Aboriginal Lands Trust (ALT) lands: Gerard, Koonibba, Yalata, Umooma, Raukkan, Point Pearce, Davenport and Nepabunna
  • Oak Valley on Maralinga Tjarutja (MT) lands
     
  • SA Water receives support from the State Government via a Community Service Obligation (CSO) to help meet the under‐recovery of costs for supplying water services to the 22 remote communities. CSO payments total $43 million for the current regulatory period (2020 – 24), with the State Government funding 84% of this cost, and the remainder recovered from SA Water customers
     
  • SA Water in also responsible for managing 19 non-drinking water supplies. These are historically remote townships, established for transport, mining purpose or are Aboriginal settlements (e.g. Oodnadatta, Marla, and Maree)
     
  • Outside of SA Water, there are a number small-scale retailers providing drinking water to over 4000 customers, including regional local councils and private providers. This includes the District Council of Coober Pedy and the District Council of Ceduna.
     
  • Beyond this, there are a small number of “self-supplied communities”, mostly on privately owned freehold-titled land where traditional owners manage their own water, or other homeland communities such as the Scotdesco Aboriginal Community
     
Published Date: 
Friday, 3 September 2021