Where does water come from in Alice Springs?

We’re working hard to protect our precious groundwater and keep the water supply for Alice Springs sustainable for the long term.

Right now, water comes from the Roe Creek borefield, about 15km south of the town. Around 80% is drawn from the Mereenie Sandstone, with the rest from the Pacoota and Shannon formations that lie within the huge Amadeus Basin aquifer.

Since pumping began in 1964, more than 250 billion litres of groundwater has been extracted with very low natural top up.

That’s about half the volume of Sydney Harbour!

The more residents and businesses use, the deeper and harder the pumps have to work.

If usage stays the same, the town will need a new borefield within 20–50 years. Saving water now helps delay expensive new infrastructure. Let’s work together to protect the water that keeps Alice Springs thriving.

Did you know?

One in three homes in Alice Springs has a leak. Checking for a leak is easy to do. See our how to video here. Fixing them can deliver up to a quarter of household water savings.

The Alice average household uses more water than the average Darwin household, and up to 65% of that is in the garden. Small tweaks outdoors can make a huge difference.

Handy tip:

Don’t overwater lawns. Optimise irrigation timing and reduce watering in cooler months, you could save up to around 80,000 L annually.

Catch cold shower water in a bucket and use it on your garden, that’s around 11,000 L that won’t go to waste.