Land unlocked
The CWMS expansion will help unlock over 500 large allotments
The Renmark West Rural Neighbourhood Expansion will unlock new 2,000m2 blocks for people looking for larger allotment, semi-rural style living on the fringe of Renmark.
This project will expand the Community Wastewater Management System (CWMS) into the Renmark West Rural Neighbourhood Zone, providing a modern, environmentally safe wastewater network that allows land to be developed responsibly for housing.
Once this infrastructure is in place, more than 500 new large lifestyle blocks can be created – perfect for semi-rural living while remaining close to the town centre and all of the wonderful things Renmark has to offer.
View the timeline to see how this project will unfold.
Where is the land?
Why this project matters
Renmark West has long been a high-demand area for rural lifestyle living, but development has been limited due to the Bookmark Creek Subzone overlay restricting development of land without a safe wastewater system.
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Lifestyle living
The blocks will be spacious and lifestyle-friendly
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Environmentally friendly
The environment is protected, including the River Murray and groundwater
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Economic growth
This project will support population growth, local jobs, and economic development
Ratepayer impact
The Renmark West Rural Neighbourhood Expansion Project is designed to be fully funded by developers, so existing ratepayers will not carry any of the costs.
While Council will initially borrow the funds to cover the project’s upfront costs – estimated at around $3 million – all costs, including borrowing interest, will be recovered from developers through an augmentation fee as they create new allotments. This ensures that Council can deliver the CWMS expansion efficiently and responsibly without placing unnecessary financial burden on the community.
For more information about CWMS and how charges are set visit here.
Have land, want land?
Are you interested in purchasing a block in this upcoming, exciting development? Or do you currently have land in the expansion area and would like to explore your options?
Fill out the expression of interest form below to speak to someone at Council.
Please not that any information provided to Council will be treated confidentially.
FAQs
This project will extend a CWMS pipe from the Renmark treatment plant into the Renmark West Rural Neighbourhood Area for developers to connect to. It allows over 500 new large lifestyle blocks to be created, providing safe, modern wastewater services and enabling growth while protecting the environment.
Until now, development in Renmark West has been constrained by the Bookmark Creek Subzone Overlay which requires new blocks to be connected to a wastewater system. The CWMS expansion removes this barrier, making large, lifestyle-focused blocks possible while meeting environmental and planning requirements.
The expansion covers the Renmark West Rural Neighbourhood Zone north of Cucumunga St, just west of Renmark town centre. These blocks are spacious and lifestyle-friendly, combining rural living with high quality infrastructure services and town convenience.
Preliminary estimates put the project cost at around $3 million. Council will borrow the money upfront with costs to be recovered through augmentation fees from developers as land is subdivided.
No. The Renmark Paringa CWMS network is fully cost recovered by service charges and therefore does not impact rates.
The proposed CWMS expansion into Renmark West is forecast to increase the customer base from approximately 3,640 to nearly 4,000 properties within ten years, driving steady growth in operational revenue. As connections grow, fixed costs are spread across more connections creating reduced pressure on service charges.
Funding of the CWMS expansion is structured to achieve full cost recovery through augmentation fees.
Developers creating new allotments will pay an augmentation charge as a condition of their development approval which covers Council’s costs for extending the CWMS and associated borrowing.
The full Business Case can be viewed here.
Existing residences are not required to connect to the CWMS system while they have an adequately functioning onsite wastewater management system.
Existing residences are not required to pay an augmentation fee to connect to the CWMS network. CWMS connection fees and costs of connection are to be paid by resident connecting to the network.
Direct stakeholders living in the area will receive communication as part of the project team's stakeholder engagement. Any impacts of construction, road closures etc. will be communicated.
To ensure continued growth in Renmark Paringa is successfully managed Council has developed a Growth Strategy identifying current infrastructure and services and what is required to accommodate growth.
Council actively advocates for the necessary services and amenities to support our growing community.
By expanding the CWMS and enabling new development, this project also signals to potential services, businesses, and investors that Renmark can sustainably support growth, helping attract new opportunities to the town.
The Growth Strategy can be viewed here.
The project is moving ahead in the 2025/26 financial year. After planning and tendering, design and construction contracts will be awarded, unlocking new blocks for development as soon as the infrastructure is ready.
The expansion will:
- Unlock large lifestyle blocks for housing and semi rural living
- Support population growth and local jobs
- Protect the River Murray and groundwater
- Deliver safe, modern wastewater services
- Enable orderly and sustainable development
No. The project is designed to protect the River Murray, groundwater, and surrounding environment, while providing safe and reliable wastewater services for the new lifestyle blocks.
Council is helping manage interest in the new lifestyle blocks. By submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI) on the previous tab, you can stay informed about availability, development progress, and opportunities to purchase blocks as the CWMS expansion unlocks new land.
