Groundwater Prohibition Area for Glenelg East

The GPA comes into effect from 20 December 2018, and is the final step in protecting the community from chemical contamination in the area’s groundwater.

The Environment Protection Authority asked residents some time ago not to use their bore water for any purpose, and the engagement process was invaluable in showing how current bore owners were using their bore water, and from what depth they were taking it.

As a result of the consultation, the EPA altered the proposed prohibition area so that residents who were accessing the uncontaminated deeper aquifers would be able to continue to do so.

Councils and schools will also continue to be able to use bore water for irrigation, as they access the much deeper Tertiary aquifer, which is not affected.

The groundwater contamination is currently limited to parts of Glenelg East and Glenelg, but the proposed prohibition area also takes in sections of Glenelg South and Glengowrie, as this will help avoid spreading the contamination further.

The Glenelg East area has seen significant historical use of chemicals, including perchloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE) used at a former dry cleaning business.

Other chemicals found include petroleum hydrocarbons from degraded underground storage tanks at a service station, and heavy metals and cyanide from a former blacksmith’s forge.

These compounds can cause health problems if people are exposed to high enough concentrations over long periods of time.

The EPA has already established Groundwater Prohibition Areas in Edwardstown and the surrounding suburbs, and the Allenby Gardens/Flinders Park area.

In a prohibition area, it is illegal to use groundwater above certain depths for any purpose, and a maximum penalty of $8,000 applies.

For further information, check our website, telephone 8204 2004 or email engage.epa@sa.gov.au.