More than 9,000 new homes have moved closer to reality following a record $1.5 billion investment in water infrastructure by the Malinauskas Labor Government, with early results now visible across several growth corridors.
Since the Premier’s Housing Roadmap was launched in June 2024, SA Water has signed 261 development agreements with builders, confirming water and sewer connections for 9,231 new allotments statewide. These agreements are a prerequisite for construction and have helped ease one of the key bottlenecks facing housing delivery.
At Riverlea, one of South Australia’s largest residential developments, at least 65 homes have already been completed and are now occupied as a result of these agreements. Builders say earlier certainty around services has allowed construction to proceed without the delays that often affect large-scale housing projects.
The infrastructure rollout itself has reached a clear milestone. More than 30,000 metres of new water and sewer pipes have now been installed across Adelaide’s north and south, forming part of one of the largest water infrastructure programs undertaken in the state to support housing growth. Work began in September 2024 and has focused on expanding network capacity in areas including Angle Vale, Roseworthy, Riverlea and Onkaparinga Heights.
SA Water estimates the pipes laid so far represent about 40 per cent of the total length planned under the program. On a typical day, between 20 and 30 construction crews are active across roughly 10 project areas, highlighting the scale of the work involved.
Further expansion is underway at Riverlea, where the second stage of water infrastructure is progressing along Robert Road and Petherton Road, between Angle Vale Road and Kalara Reserve. This phase includes an additional 10,000 metres of trunk water main intended to strengthen supply as the development continues to grow.
The new mains will link with pipes already installed through suburbs such as Davoren Park and Virginia and connect to SA Water’s storage tank at Elizabeth East. That facility is nearing the completion of an upgrade aimed at improving water flow and providing greater control across the network. Nearby areas including Blakeview and Eyre are also expected to benefit from the expanded system.
Housing Minister Nick Champion said the investment was delivering tangible outcomes for families moving into new homes. “Since our Government invested a record $1.5 billion in water infrastructure, over 9,200 homes for South Australian families have been unlocked, are being built or are now complete and occupied,” he said. “This water is now supplying the homes of people like Jason and his family, and his neighbours in Riverlea.”
Champion said the government had deliberately placed water and sewer upgrades at the centre of its housing strategy, arguing that underinvestment in previous years had slowed development in high-growth areas. “We refused to be yet another government that kicked the can down the road when it came to investing in water and sewer infrastructure,” he said.
From the development sector, the response has been supportive. Chris Emsley, senior construction manager at Walker Corporation for Riverlea, said the state-led rollout had improved serviceability across the site. “The infrastructure rollout led by the South Australian Government has boosted serviceability at Riverlea, allowing us to unlock more land supply and deliver homes sooner,” he said.
Emsley said private investment in enabling works, alongside public water and sewer upgrades, was helping maintain construction momentum. This includes Riverlea’s first school, which is now under construction, and the emerging Palms Shopping Village designed to support a growing local population.
While the progress marks a lift in housing-enabling works, broader pressures remain. Planning processes, labour constraints and construction costs continue to influence build timelines, and infrastructure delivery will need to keep pace as estates expand. Water investment alone does not address affordability, but it removes one of the practical barriers that can stall supply.
For now, the program is translating into serviced land and occupied homes, particularly in growth areas that have waited years for capacity upgrades. Attention will remain on whether the pace can be sustained as the remainder of the network is delivered.
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