SA Water takes on management of water supplies for two outback towns

Copley and Lyndhurst in South Australia’s Far North will now enjoy the benefits of ongoing customer support, state-wide pricing and responsive local maintenance, with end-to-end management of the towns’ drinking water supply moving to SA Water.

Following the transition of Leigh Creek’s management to the State Government, SA Water supplied bulk water to both townships, with the local network managed by either the Lyndhurst and Districts Progress Association or Outback Communities Authority.

SA Water’s General Manager of Customer Delivery Kerry Rowlands said migrating the full provision of water services to SA Water follows ongoing engagement with the previous water providers and the wider local community.

"It was important residents and businesses in both towns are supported through the transition to becoming SA Water customers, and they understand any changes this brings, including cost," Kerry said.

"Ongoing water usage charges for the 73 new customers in Copley and Lyndhurst have moved to SA Water’s state-wide price – which enables most of our customers to pay the same price regardless of where they live or the actual cost of providing the service.

"The communities will also benefit from a 24/7 customer response service, access to bill payment support when necessary, and network maintenance provided by a locally-based crew.

"We already provide water and sewerage services to more than 700,000 customers across South Australia, and we’ll use our expertise and experience to manage the services in these two towns safely and efficiently."

Drinking water for both communities will continue to be sourced from an existing series of bores near Leigh Creek, which is then desalinated and treated to meet Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.

As part of the transfer of management, SA Water now operates and maintains around 12-kilometres of water main supplying water to Lyndhurst, just over five kilometres of other associated pipework, and three storage tanks in the town. In Copley, the water reticulation system and two off-takes from a pipeline just outside the township also come under the utility’s responsibility.

Sewerage services in both towns will remain privately-managed.

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