From this week, SA Water customers on the Eyre Peninsula west of Lock will receive a mix of groundwater from near Port Lincoln and River Murray water due to a 5 per cent reduction in allocations from southern groundwater basins.

Water Security Minister Karlene Maywald said the State Government had a commitment to the water security of all South Australians.

“That is why SA Water will this week begin to supplement existing water supplies to Eyre Peninsula communities including Ceduna and Streaky Bay with River Murray water,” she said.

“A reduction in allocations of groundwater from southern Eyre Peninsula means that SA Water will provide approximately 20 per cent River Murray water, or 600 megalitres a year to top up supplies to customers on the state’s West Coast…

“No new water is being taken as the 600 megalitres has been sourced from SA Water’s existing River Murray licences, which in recent years have been supplemented by purchases from existing users.”

Ceduna Mayor Allan Suter said the change could improve the quality of water but it could put further stress on the River Murray.

“SA Water argue that this is water from their allocation of River Murray water, however we should be minimising our withdrawals rather than taking all that our allocations allow. To me this measure is a failure on the part of SA Water,” he said.

“The pipeline extension cost $50 million to deliver 800 megalitres. Further expense would allow this to be increased to 1400 megalitres. This is ridiculously expensive when they could have had a environmentally neutral 1250 megalitres for $21 million of other parties’ money. SA Water really need to lift their game but I am not waiting with bated breath.”

Member for Flinders Liz Penfold said it showed the urgent need for a desalination plant on the West Coast.

“I don’t think any person in South Australia thinks it’s a good idea to send water, pumping it at tremendous cost through pipelines, all the way to Eyre Peninsula – 800 to 900km – to give us water. It is an insane solution,” she told ABC radio.

The West Coast will continue to receive Murray water until a new source is found, either through desalination or if groundwater reserves increase, Mrs Maywald’s spokesman Owen Brown said.

Relaxed water restrictions allowing people to water any day of the week between 6am and 9am and 6pm and 9pm for up to five hours per week came in on Tuesday.