After years of deliberation and community backlash, four possible sites for a proposed desalination plant on the Eyre Peninsula have been selected.
The Site Selection Committee, an independent group of 20 local leaders and industry figures, has shortlisted Sleaford West, Point Boston, Shoal Point and the site originally chosen in 2020 at Sleaford Bay.
A detailed assessment of each site will now be undertaken, however, this does not mean Billy Lights Point, the site originally chosen that caused controversy, has been taken off the table altogether.
SA Water had initially selected Billy Lights Point in Boston Bay as the site for its planned desalination plant to reduce pressure on the Uley Basin, and to ensure future long-term water security for the region.
But the location caused community uproar, particularly among environmental groups and the local seafood industry.
The Site Selection Committee has expressed hope it can make an impact and its chair, former state Liberal MP Peter Treloar, said he was confident the group was on track to deliver a water security outcome for the Eyre Peninsula.
"Paramount to all of this we need to make our proposal go into the SA water reticulation network.
"Ultimately it's a decision of SA water and the government of the day, but I feel really quite pleased that we have an opportunity as a community to have a significant say on the outcome."
Mr Treloar was hopeful that a single site would be selected by the end of July.
Mark Andrews, chief executive of Eyre Peninsula Seafoods and member of the Hands-Off Boston Bay group, said members of the new committee were working well together.
"They've got a really good spread of people there across the whole peninsula, a lot of good feedback and they're asking the right questions," he said.
But he said he was worried about Point Boston being shortlisted, because it is an aquaculture zone.
Mr Andrews said he also had concerns that Billy Lights Point could still be on the table despite community outrage against it.
Even though the site was not shortlisted, it could still be on the table as the ultimate decision of the whereabouts of the desalination plant will come down to SA Water, not the committees selections.
The committee and SA Water will hold consultation sessions in towns around the peninsula over the coming months to gather feedback.
Subject to required approvals, construction of a new desalination plant is expected to begin in 2023, with first water expected to delivered by the end of 2024.
