ABSTRACT
The City of Salisbury is an international leader in the use of wetlands and aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) technology for stormwater management and utilization. Over the last 20 years, the Council has constructed more than 30 wetlands covering an area of 260 hectares and costing in excess of Aus $18 million. Stormwater — traditionally regarded as a problem, and in some cases a threat — is now harnessed and utilised by Salisbury in a series of wetlands, enhancing the landscape and creating habitat diversity. Salisbury is currently implementing two large-scale stormwater treatment, groundwater recharge and reuse schemes totalling more than Aus $9 million. These schemes, arguably the largest in Australia, would supply 3.5 Mm3/year of recycled stormwater to a number of users that include a wool processor, a car manufacturer, a plant nursery and market gardeners. This paper provides an overview on Salisbury’s achievements, the challenges involved, and its successful partnerships with industry, government and community. Finally, the paper outlines critical issues pertaining to stormwater recharge and reuse in South Australia.
