Connection to Kangaroo Island's new seawater desalination plant at Penneshaw has been delayed, with residents and businesses to receive first water from mid-2024.

SA Water is investing $147.7 million in constructing the new 2 megalitre per day desalination plant to supplement the existing facility at Middle River. 

The new plant is intended to improve drinking water reliability, support the local economy and provide greater bushfire resilience. 

The delay has been caused by additional works required to accommodate community feedback on plant positioning and design, and several supply chain challenges.

Marine works began in January to set up a temporary causeway off the coast of the desalination plant, to facilitate the new intake and outfall pipes.

This stage of works expected to take several months to complete, with the pipes to be floated by barge to Penneshaw.

Work has also begun on installation of a large underground water main along Hog Bay Road.

Within the next few months SA Water will start installing around 44 kilometres of smaller water mains to more than a thousand properties in American River,

Baudin Beach, Island Beach and Sapphiretown.

It will hold several local drop-in sessions throughout March in each community, to help answer any questions and help with connection applications.

Following feedback from the council and local community it will soon finalise a concept landscape plan for the desalination plant site, which aims to reduce visual impact for the surrounding area.