Community and Stakeholders

Northern Water continues to engage with stakeholders and the broader community as the Project progresses. This engagement helps identify potential issues, concerns, impacts and opportunities, and informs management measures to reduce risk and enhance benefits for local communities.

The Project is committed to:

• delivering early and ongoing engagement that is open and transparent
• providing opportunities for stakeholder input at all stages of the Project
• working with stakeholders and community representatives to understand and address concerns and aspirations
• identifying and addressing relevant knowledge gaps and potential solutions
• making reports and studies publicly available in a timely manner
• clearly communicating how stakeholder and community input has informed project outcomes
• offering engagement opportunities both face-to-face and online.

Upcoming events

We will continue to hold community information's sessions at locations along the Project alignment, including Port Augusta, in the coming months. Dates and locations will be provided closer to the event. Please subscribe for project updates to ensure you don’t miss out.

Share feedback and receive updates

To provide your feedback or suggestions via email please contact the team.

To receive Project updates via email please subscribe.

Traditional Owners

The Project is committed to open and transparent engagement with Traditional Owners and Aboriginal stakeholders. We aim to ensure their voices and perspectives are heard and considered, fostering an environment of respect and trust to support decision-making processes and to design and deliver Project initiatives for Aboriginal peoples.

We are engaging directly with the Barngarla Determination Aboriginal Corporation (BDAC) and Kokatha Aboriginal Corporation (KAC) to negotiate Project specific Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUAs).

Learn more about how the Project is addressing Native Title and Aboriginal Cultural Heritage.

Land and lease holders

Northern Water is in contact with land and lease holders to provide Project updates, discuss potential impacts and negotiate access, with the aim of minimising impacts and disturbance. If you believe your property may be impacted and you have not heard from the Project, please contact us.

Government agencies

Ongoing meetings are held with Commonwealth, State and Local Government agencies including:

• Department of the Premier and Cabinet
• Department for Environment and Water
• South Australian Environment Protection Authority
• Department for Housing and Urban Development
• City of Whyalla
• Outback Communities Authority
• Municipal Council of Roxby Downs
• Port Augusta City Council
• SA Arid Lands Landscape Board
• Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board.

Stakeholder Reference Group

The Northern Water Stakeholder Reference Group (SRG) provides a forum for engagement between key stakeholders and the Northern Water project team. Meeting every second month, the SRG supports discussion and information sharing during the planning, design and pre-feasibility phases to inform Project development.

The role of the SRG is to:

• provide an opportunity for open, two-way communication on key Project topics during the planning and design
• offer local and industry knowledge to help inform project decisions
• improve visibility of the Project within local communities and stakeholder groups
• ensure stakeholders and the communities they represent have access to up-to-date and accurate information
• provide a forum for shared learning and continuous improvement.

The SRG represents a broad range of stakeholder and community interests relevant to the Project and typically includes representatives from:

• local government
• state government representatives based in the Upper Spencer Gulf and Far North
• key interest and community groups (e.g. environment, conservation, regional development)
• business and tourism operators
• commercial, aquaculture and recreational fishing sectors
• landholders and neighbours.