“Quicklook” Assessment of Greater Adelaide's Assets & Challenges ...

• Wine industry is a good economic success. In several areas there are
examples of dry land farms being converted through sustainable irrigation
to wine growing areas. Examples of the wine industry self funding
pipeline systems to utilize wastewater from government wastewater
treatment plants exist – a win-win for all parties, e.g., a waste flow has
been captured to convert farm land to a higher and better use –
economically all parties are better off. Elizabeth, a suburb to the north of
Adelaide was built on manufacturing (motor vehicles). The southern area
lacked a vibrant manufacturing base but the wine industry has developed
and provided a good jobs base. In general, South Australian wine is
brilliant quality for its price in world terms. The issue for future wine
production - is there enough water and suitable land?
• Unique use of valuable water resources and its aquifer storage - Aquifer
storage involves using an underground aquifer to store water in the off
peak use but high inflow period (i.e. winter). On the Northern Adelaide
Plains this technique is being applied in a very productive vegetable
growing region. Similarly, in the Barossa Valley, a premium wine
growing/processing area the technique is being applied. Licensed water
is transported out of the Murray (the whole of the Murray is licensed)
using a potable water supply pipeline during the off peak water use
period. Users buy water out of the Murray, transport it down pipelines to
the destination site or close to it. The grape growers traditionally used
ground water that was becoming depleted and aboveground storage is
costly and suffers from evaporation in summer. Therefore, they put most
of the transported water into aquifers in the winter to be used in the
summer months. The water must be equal or better quality than drinking
water – the water is chloraminated (disinfected with chlorine) and filtered -
ASR is the term utilized – Aquifer Storage and Recovery. Further North is
the Clare region and similar processes are being considered.
• Success with waste and storm water recycling. Mawson Lakes utilizes
dual pipelines underground, owned and operated by SA Water, to reuse
gray water. This is the first time wastewater and storm water have been
joined together for recycling. Storm water discharge can be a significant
environmental problem in its impact on coastal environments. Mawson
Lakes uses a wetland system that captures the water, slows its speed
allowing suspended solids to settle and then by biological activity it is
cleaned up. New wetlands and recreational areas are the outcome.
8. Technology: Against National and International competition, Adelaide rates as
well connected compared to other cities.
• The government via Telstra laid Fiber Optic Cables. Telstra is partly
privatized, with 49.9% of the shares (in Telstra) having been floated.
• Telecommunications include many small scale ISP’s (about seventy-eight
to eighty). SA leads the country in Internet uptake on a number of
measures. Attached is a statistical compilation by Mr Bert Stock,
statistician attached to the SA Government Information Economy Policy
Office (IEPO) showing a comparison between SA and the other states.
• Good morale factors associated with IT&T including personnel feel they
have world-class infrastructure in terms of communications, and in some
ways the Adelaide area thinks ahead.
• Mobile telephones are well connected in metropolitan areas.
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