Two critical water and sewer infrastructure projects have now commenced enabling new homes to be built in Adelaide's northern suburbs, as the Malinauskas Labor Government continues to deliver on its commitment for more homes to more South Australians one year on from the launch of the Premier's Housing Roadmap.
Bookending Curtis Road between Andrews Road and Main North Road, the projects involve the installation of 5,200 metres of new trunk water main, along with 800 metres of new trunk sewer main and a new sewer ventilation system. These projects will be streamlined to limit the impact on commuters along main local thoroughfare, Curtis Road.
Meanwhile, a record number of allotments have been approved for construction with guaranteed water and sewer services, as the delivery of critical enabling infrastructure reaches a significant milestone with more than 11,500 metres of new pipe now in the ground.
So far in 2024-25, SA Water has executed 171 Development Agreement Formal Instruments (DAFIs) with developers which confirm the availability of water and sewer services to 6,120 new allotments across South Australia - reaching the highest number of allotments approved for construction in a single year since 2012.
An unprecedented $1.5 billion investment in water and sewer infrastructure – a key initiative of the Housing Roadmap – has underpinned the influx of build-ready allotments by securing the necessary funding to remove infrastructure constraints.
As announced when the Housing Roadmap was released in June last year, the average SA Water metropolitan customer bill will increase by 3.5 per cent plus Consumer Price Index (CPI) from 1 July 2025 to help fund the investment in water and sewer infrastructure which is essential for housing.
Further to SA Water's work, over the past year, the Malinauskas Government has continued to accelerate building programs, with the SA Housing Trust and Renewal SA to deliver a record number of homes.
In the new suburb of Southwark Grounds, the government are set to deliver up to 1,300 new dwellings, an increase of up to 300 homes, at least 20 per cent dedicated to affordable sale through HomeSeeker SA.
These plans extend to Adelaide's northern suburbs as well, where more than 1,300 homes will be built as part of a 71-hectare expansion of the Playford Alive eastern parcel at Munno Para.
At Prospect Corner, homeownership has been made more accessible through shared equity options. This project includes 108 homes and 100 affordable rentals, offered at 75 per cent of the market rate.
The South Australian Housing Trust is also making significant progress with the Affordable Housing Initiative, targeting the construction of 1,000 new affordable homes. And it is delivering 1,090 new public homes by 2026.
The Rent-To-Buy Affordable Housing Initiative was also announced recently, to create a pathway for eligible long-term renters to buy one of 100 homes currently under construction by the Trust.
Under the new rent-to-buy scheme, homes would be rented out to the eligible renters for up to three years at 75 per cent market rent, giving the tenant greater capacity to save money.
Additionally, the state government is addressing the critical issue of homelessness among older women. The Trust is also constructing a six-storey apartment building at Tucker Street in the Adelaide CBD, which will provide 50 apartments with onsite supports.
Landmark legislation passed to unlock the potential of thousands of new homes across the state, allowing variations to Environment and Food Production Areas (EFPA) to align with the recently released Greater Adelaide Regional Plan (GARP) to open space for 61,000 new dwellings.
The government has also rolled out a variety of initiatives to make it easier for first home buyers in their quest to purchase their first home by abolishing stamp duty for eligible first homebuyers who build or buy a new home, regardless of the property's purchase price.
Water and sewerage prices for 2025-26 are estimated to impact the average metropolitan residential customer water and sewerage bill, with average water use and average property value, by around $19 per quarter or 21 cents a day.
The increase remains consistent with what was approved following SA Water's 2024-28 regulatory determination on 1 July 2024, which capped any increase to the average metropolitan residential bill at 3.5 per cent plus CPI each year across the four-year period.
Taking a smoothing approach to incrementally increase water prices over several years has helped to minimise larger cost increases on SA Water customers in the current economic environment.
The success of the Housing Roadmap has led to South Australia being ranked as #1 in the nation by the Housing Industry Association for both housing policy and delivering homes.
As put by Nick Champion
The Housing Roadmap is delivering real results for South Australians, with more homes being built, faster approvals, and record investment in infrastructure.
Our reforms and partnerships are unlocking land, streamlining planning, and making homeownership more accessible, putting South Australia at the forefront of housing supply in the nation.
These necessary increases in water bills will enable us to invest in the critical infrastructure needed to unlock thousands of new homes and ensure South Australians have access to reliable water and sewer services as our communities grow.
Reaching a record number of allotments approved for construction with guaranteed water and sewer services is a testament to our government's approach.
As put by Stephen Knight, Executive Director, Housing Industry Association SA
It's good to see SA Water and their contractors are cracking on with getting pipes in the ground and opening up land for new homes, but there is so much more to do to meet anticipated demand.
The Housing Roadmap initiative has rightfully placed providing more homes, of all types, front and centre.
Continuing to back this up with, for example the recently announced variations to the EFPA to unlock more land for future development will be vital to meeting demand for new homes.
The new rent to buy pilot scheme has the potential to being a game changer for those long-term renters who may not have ever had the opportunity to own a home. We need more of these types of initiatives.
