Emergency bulk water collection point
An increase in registered water carters and a decline in people collecting water from temporary water collection points have resulted in a decision to close the remaining site at Woodside at 4pm on Saturday, June 7. A full list of registered water providers can be found on the SA Health website.
The Woodside collection point will close indefinitely at 4pm on Saturday, June 7.
The temporary bulk water collection point is intended to provide emergency supply to households for domestic purposes only. They are for those who are running out, or have run out, of water for domestic use and are unable to get water delivered by a water carter. They are not intended for commercial livestock or watering gardens.
| Volume | Cost |
| Containers up to 1000 litres | $6 (flat fee) per 200 litres |
| Containers 1000 litres and over | $28 per 1000 litres |
Water will be sold in 1000 litre increments above 1000 litres.
For example, if you buy 1500 litres, the fee is $56, the same cost as 2000 litres.
If you buy 3500 litres, the fee is $112, the same cost as 4000 litres.
The cost is comparable to rates being charged by water carters for home delivery across the Hills and Fleurieu region.
The state government does not want to undercut water carters and cause harm to their business.
It is much cheaper than purchasing a 10 litre box of water, which costs $3.80 at some outlets and, therefore, equates to $380 per kilolitre.
The cost being charged for this emergency supply does not fully recover costs being incurred.
- Eftpos facilities will be available.
- If the Eftpos service is unavailable, an invoice will be sent for payment.
- Cash payments will not be accepted.
Water concession is available to eligible South Australians for water purchased from an emergency bulk water collection point.
You must hold an eligible Centrelink or Department of Veterans’ Affairs card or payment, or meet low income provisions.
Concession is only available for water you purchase for your principal place of residence, and you must own or rent that property.
Water concession eligibility criteria and amounts
How to apply
You must provide copies of paid invoices or receipts for your water purchases to ConcessionsSA.
If you have not received household concessions before, apply online. You will need to provide your bank details and information about your living arrangements and how you pay for utilities.
If you already receive household concessions, you don’t need to reapply. You can:
- Upload your water receipts through the online form. Choose ‘Upload supporting documents’ on the second page.
- Email your water receipts to concessions@sa.gov.au
For help with this process, contact ConcessionsSA at concessions@sa.gov.au or call 1800 307 758 (9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday).
Water concession is also available for private carted water. The same eligibility and receipt requirements apply. The water provider must be registered under the Safe Drinking Water Act 2011 (SA) or hold an exemption from SA Health.
When collecting water, you will be required to provide the following information and to sign a waiver:
- Name
- Address (including proof)
- Phone number
- Car registration
- Signature
- The water will be of drinking water quality when the water leaves the tap at the collection point.
- Good hygiene practices need to be applied to prevent contamination during transport and storage to ensure it remains suitable for drinking.
- You will also need to consider the load limits of your vehicle and how the load will impact the performance of your vehicle.
- For smaller containers - you will be responsible for moving your storage container to the fill point, filling the container and reloading it to your vehicle. Please consider your physical limitations.
- For containers mounted on the back of a ute or trailer, direct filling will be available by hose.
- Ensure that tanks are securely attached to your vehicle for transportation.
- Note that SA Water staff are unable to offer advice or assistance in lifting at the collection point.
There is currently no limit to the volume of water that can be taken from the collection point but the water is intended to provide emergency supply to households for domestic purposes only and only until such time a water carter can deliver bulk water to your property.
SA Water provide a calculator that can be used to work out how much water each household may require. The calculator can be found at SAWater - Be water wise.
There are lots of ways – shorter showers, turning off taps and efficient watering – that South Australians can effectively save water indoors and outdoors.
Regardless of a water source or how it is treated, there are steps you should follow to ensure the safety of your fish and other aquatic pets. You can find more information on the SA Water website.
Important health advice
Water is of drinking quality at the point of collection, but you must use food-grade containers to keep it clean once it leaves the pipe. If disinfected food-grade containers are not used, the water will not be suitable for drinking.
Disclaimer
Once collected from a water collection point, the customer will be responsible for all aspects of the transportation and storage of water collected. The State of South Australia, the South Australian Water Corporation, the Department for Environment and Water and their officers, employees, contractors and consultants make no warranty or representation about the quality and safety of the water after collection, including but not limited to any contamination that may occur after collection. All aspects of the transportation, storage and use of collected water are at the risk of the user.
