In June 2020, InDaily reported that the South Australian government had pledged AUD 33 million for a seawater desalination plant on Kangaroo Island. Sited at Penneshaw on the eastern coast, the plant was to produce 2 megalitres (2,000 m³) per day alongside existing supplies. New pipelines would link more than 1,000 properties that relied on rain tanks and carted water. Premier Steven Marshall expected around 500 jobs. Total costs were put at AUD 47.8 million, with the state seeking the balance from the federal government.
The report showed that the recent bushfires had exposed the island's water supply as a weak point. Desalination was meant to make supply less dependent on rainfall and on damaged facilities.
Source: InDaily