Edwardstown and surrounding areas Groundwater Prohibition Area
Consultation has concluded
The EPA wrote to residents living in Edwardstown and surrounding suburbs as part of the consultation on the use of groundwater.
For background information and copies of assessment area reports, please have a look at our assessment areas pages.
The EPA wrote to residents living in Edwardstown and surrounding suburbs as part of the consultation on the use of groundwater.
For background information and copies of assessment area reports, please have a look at our assessment areas pages.
Category gpa Show all
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Find out more about groundwater prohibition areas
The aim of a groundwater prohibition area is to eliminate the pathway between contaminated groundwater and human exposure to chemicals of concern.Chlorinated hydrocarbons in groundwater in Edwardstown and the surrounding areas are extremely persistent in the environment. They are denser than water and leach through soil and groundwater. They are volatile, carcinogenic and present a potential risk to human health if groundwater is utilised for drinking, showering, washing, filling swimming pools, watering lawns (as above) or home-grown produce.
As recently as the 1980s, chemicals used by industry were simply tipped down drains and poured onto soil to evaporate. There was a lack of awareness about the long-term impacts this could have but today these practices are prohibited by legislation.
Each state has its own legislation to manage the legacy of groundwater contamination and the approach varies from state to state. Victoria for example, uses ‘groundwater quality restricted use zones’, and there are well over 100 zones in the Melbourne area (see the Victorian EPA for the map).
Under South Australian legislation, if groundwater is affected by contamination and there is a likelihood that it may be used for domestic or irrigation purposes, the EPA has powers under the Environment Protection Act 1993 to establish a groundwater prohibition area to protect both future and current landholders.
The EPA established South Australia’s first groundwater prohibition area in Allenby Gardens–Flinders Park on 13 June 2013, after a 90-day consultation with residents. Groundwater from the first and second Quaternary aquifers (0–30 m) is prohibited to be used for any purpose and a maximum penalty of $8,000 applies.
There may be exceptions for groundwater monitoring or industrial use, and councils and schools typically use much deeper groundwater from the Tertiary aquifer, which is not affected by the contamination.
Your Language
Automatic translations are provided as a guide only. To speak with us using a live interpreter, please call the National Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450, and ask them to call us on 08 8757 9000.
Community Updates and Reports
- Government Gazette, 9 January 2018, pg 18
- EPA sets groundwater prohibition for Edwardstown, 12 December 2017 (290 KB) (pdf)
- Edwardstown GPA fact sheet, 11 December 2017 (1.32 MB) (pdf)
- Letter to residents, 11 December 2017 (744 KB) (pdf)
- Determination Report – Proposed Groundwater Prohibition Area – Portions of Edwardstown, South Plympton, Plympton Park, Ascot Park, Park Holme and Melrose Park (6.02 MB) (pdf)
- Edwardstown GPA fact sheet, 7 August 2017 (1.2 MB) (pdf)
- Letter to residents, 7 August 2017 (703 KB) (pdf)
- Map of groundwater plumes, August 2017 (845 KB) (pdf)
- Invitation to community information sessions (252 KB) (pdf)
- Site contamination overview fact sheet
- Edwardstown Community Engagement Report (1.2 MB) (pdf)
Project Timeline
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Open
Edwardstown and surrounding areas Groundwater Prohibition Area has finished this stageThis consultation is open for contribitions
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Stage 1: August 2017 Community engagement commences
Edwardstown and surrounding areas Groundwater Prohibition Area has finished this stageWe will be available to answer your queries by phone, email or leave us a question on the Q & A section of this site.
Please check out our ‘Stories’ and 'Ideas' sections to share your bore water stories.
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Stage 2: September 2017 Community information sessions
Edwardstown and surrounding areas Groundwater Prohibition Area has finished this stageCome to one of our info sessions. If these times don’t suit you then contact us for alternative dates.
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Stage 3: October 2017 Feedback collation and analysis
Edwardstown and surrounding areas Groundwater Prohibition Area has finished this stageAll information from our surveys, feedback forms, meetings, phone calls and emails will be collated. Have your say if you have yet to do so.
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Stage 4: November 2017 Reporting on the outcome of feedback from the community
Edwardstown and surrounding areas Groundwater Prohibition Area has finished this stageA community engagement report will be published that summarises the community engagement process, feedback received, suggestions considered, queries and concerns.
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Stage 5: December 2017 making recommendations
Edwardstown and surrounding areas Groundwater Prohibition Area has finished this stageAt the conclusion of the report the EPA will make a recommendation.
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Stage 6: 9 January 2018 gazettal in SA Government Gazette
Edwardstown and surrounding areas Groundwater Prohibition Area is currently at this stageThis prohibition on the extraction of groundwater was published in the South Australian Government Gazette on 9 January 2018.