The South Australian government has approved a plan to build a $330-million desalination plant on the Eyre Peninsula. The Billy Lights Point location near Port Lincoln has been a sticking point for some time and fishers are especially concerned about the impact it will have on their industry.

Billy Lights Point was one of four sites mooted for the plant and the community and the Barngarla people, the traditional owners, voiced their opposition. The approval has been made ahead of the publishing of findings from a select committee chaired by Nicola Centofanti MLC, which was designated to look into water security on the Eyre Peninsula.

Yumbah Aquaculture chief executive Mark Andrews was disappointed the decision was made before the findings were announced:

“Our fight against a desalination plant at Billy Lights Point is based on the scientific evidence that we have produced that shows there is a risk to the mussel industry in Port Lincoln.”

Source and full article on the ABCnet

See also further information on desalination here in our Blue News