Seppeltsfield waterproofs its future

Seppeltsfield has acquired Bunyip Water from the Light Regional Council for $22 million as it 'waterproofs' the future of its vineyards.

In 2011, Seppeltsfield acquired 13 separate Barossa Valley vineyards covering 2600 acres and then sought to waterproof these vineyards by finding an independent water supply, not reliant on the River Murray.

In 2014, the winery formed a Public Private Partnership with Light Regional Council and Bunyip Water Pty Ltd was formed to build and operate the Gawler Water Reuse Scheme. The project was funded by a $21.4m loan from the Light Regional Council, including $10.7m in funding from the Australian Government’s National Urban Water and Desalination Plan.

Seppeltsfield and the Randall Wine Group, Executive Chairman and Proprietor, Warren Randall, said: "The surplus winter flows of the Gawler River were being lost to agriculture by simply flowing out into the gulf.

"Water in South Australia is such a precious resource and the Barossa Valley is such a significant economic driver for our State. Bunyip Water is a large, complex and innovative project which required a comprehensive and cohesive planning approach involving all stakeholders, spearheaded by Hydroplan for on time, on budget and best in class execution."

The project involved the construction of a 42 km pipeline to harvest surplus up to 1,600 ML/annum from Gawler River flows above an environmental threshold and to substitute at least 800ML/annum of River Murray water in the Barossa with urban stormwater harvested from the Gawler River.

The surplus water is pumped north providing supplementary irrigation to Seppeltsfield's Barossa Valley vineyards and irrigation water for community use on ovals, parks and gardens.

The first water harvested from the Gawler River was in August, 2016 and designer Hydroplan was recognised in 2017 for Excellence in Irrigation by the American Society of Irrigation Consultants.

Light Regional Council says it will use the $22 million from Seppeltsfield to repay loans that partly funded the scheme and invest in the Roseworthy Water Scheme, Bunyip 2 as it expands that township.