Work has begun in South Australia on the third phase of the Great Artesian Basin Sustainability Initiative (GABSI) . The work will seal two large free-flowing bores on the western side of the Basin, rehabilitate a high-pressure bore in the middle of the Basin, reduce a number of bores around Marree into a single system and replace infrastructure.

 

SA Water Minister Paul Caica said the first two phases of the initiatve have been successful.

 

"The State Government has now committed $1 million, matched by the Federal Government, to continue this important work into its third phase. South Australia pioneered the rehabilitation of uncontrolled, free flowing bores in the Basin in the mid 1970s," Mr Caica said.

 

South Australia participated in the first two phases of the GABSI through a $1.94 million State investment which has seen free flowing artesian bores rehabilitated and controlled pipe-watering systems installed across the Basin to maximise water savings.  

 

The State investment was matched by the Federal Government, $1.2m by BHP Billiton and in-kind contributions by pastoral landholders to install the piping systems.