A newly operational emergency bulk water collection point has opened today in Field Street, McLaren Vale, set behind the local Coles, with aims to ease pressure on the significant water scarcity faced by residents not connected to mains water in the Fleurieu region.
Four additional operators are now registered through SA Health’s accreditation system mandated by the Safe Drinking Water Act. The department anticipates that more providers will come online in the coming days and weeks. These supplementary services seek to mitigate the existing carting bottleneck exacerbated by historically low precipitation across the state.
These new providers will help to address the bottleneck in carting services for those living off mains water, amid record low rainfall throughout the state. Prior to the new site in McLaren Vale, three other emergency bulk water collection points were also established last Thursday in the Adelaide Hills, providing some reprieve.
Operating every day of the week from 7am to 7pm, these sites are a temporary emergency measure for household domestic purposes only. They are to assist households that are running out – or have run out – of water and are unable to get water delivered by a water carter.
So far, about 100 people have collected 110,050 litres of water from the emergency bulk water collection sites at Brukunga, Sandergrove and Woodside in the Hills.
Susan Close MP Deputy Premier, Minister for Climate, Environment and Water shared, “The new collection point at McLaren Vale will provide relief to households in the region who need extra water while they wait for their water carting delivery.
“This temporary service has been set up in response to the current high demand in the Hills and Fleurieu region.
“The four new companies with a water carting licence will ease pressure on other carters, who continue to go above and beyond to support their customers.
“We will continue to monitor the number of people using the emergency bulk water collection points, and locations and opening hours may change depending on the demand and delivery capacity of water carters.”
Residents of the McLaren Vale and wider Fleurieu Peninsula region now have an additional layer of support in combating the water scarcity challenges posed by the dry spell. The community continues to adapt, aided by strategic interventions and enhanced infrastructure to navigate through these difficult times efficiently.
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