An eight-metre-high drilling rig has been deployed to Mount Gambier’s world famous Blue Lake site to dig deeper into its aquifer system.

Key points:

  • The water authority says it has no concerns about Blue Lake water levels
  • SA Water holds a licence to extract a maximum of four gigalitres of water from the lake each year
  • The lake holds at least 30 years’ worth of water supply for Mount Gambier residents, the authority says

The rig has been erected at the southern side of the lake to explore the future potential of supplementary water sources from the region’s groundwater network.

Three 150-metre-deep bores, each 15 centimetres in diameter, will be drilled to allow SA Water teams to extract soil samples and examine the geology, water chemistry and groundwater flow.

SA Water general manager of sustainable infrastructure Amanda Lewry said the data would be used to create a comprehensive model of the surrounding aquifers, along with identification of any supplementary water sources.

“Our observation bores provide a vital insight into the flow of groundwater out of the Blue Lake … expanding on our existing knowledge of the site while factoring in climate change and population growth scenarios,” she said.

“The Blue Lake is Mount Gambier’s main source of drinking water.

SA Water says the drilling is a “proactive” measure and that there are no worries about supply.(ABC South East SA: Leon Georgiou)

No cause for alarm, SA Water says

SA Water senior manager of production and treatment Lisa Hannant said there were no concerns about the lake’s water level.

“We don’t need to be concerned that we’re at some threshold right now,” she said.

“We really are being very proactive in this space.

“We know that there will be growth in the area … so our long-term water security plan just suggested to us that we should start investigating potential future supplementary supplies.”

SA Water deployed the rig away from the walking trail.(ABC South East SA: Leon Georgiou)

Ms Hannant said SA Water was supplying Mount Gambier with water from the Blue Lake in a sustainable way.

SA Water has a licence to extract a maximum of four gigalitres of water from the Blue Lake each year, with Mount Gambier residents and businesses using about three-and-a-half gigalitres.

The lake has a total capacity of about 36 gigalitres.

Ms Lewry said SA Water undertook the drilling outside the holiday period and away from the lake’s walking trail to minimise the impact on tourists and the community.

Crews are expected to be working in the area for about six weeks.

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