A taskforce to help tackle growing use of crystal methamphetamine, or ice, is being established in South Australia, as the State Government flags changes to the law and more drug-driving testing, and police urge officers be given greater search powers.

A wastewater analysis revealed ice use in South Australia had tripled in the past four years.

Authorities said an urgent crisis had developed involving the highly addictive and dangerous drug.

South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill said the taskforce would help guide urgent changes to laws and treatment services.

"We've never before seen a drug of the degree of severity and extremity of impact that we've seen with ice — it is literally tearing families and communities apart," he told a news conference.

"We are facing a particular and urgent crisis now — that's why we need an immediate response."

South Australian police said there had been an almost-fivefold rise in seizures of the drug between 2013/14 and 2014/15.

Police and ministers flank the SA Premier Jay Weatherill as he announces the ice taskforce. ( ABC News: Leah MacLennan )

Police failing to gain upper hand

Police Deputy Commissioner Linda Williams said ice was cheap to buy and made people highly aggressive.

"It's so easy to produce, it's coming in from overseas very rapidly and therefore, if we keep doing what we're doing, we're probably not going to have a significant impact," she said.

She said the state taskforce would coordinate its work with a national one which was announced in 2015.

"[It will] try and come up with quick, meaningful alternatives across a broad range of sectors," she said.

Part of the promised rapid response from the taskforce is expected to involve recommending changes to legislation, across drug supply, prevention and treatment options and community education.

Mr Weatherill said the Government already had been considering sentencing changes for crimes involving indoor hydroponics and clandestine drug laboratories, a boost in drug-driving tests, more drug surveillance operations and increasing the numbers of specialist drug and alcohol clinicians in the state's regional areas.

Police are also keen to get more powers to search people or premises without a warrant.

The taskforce is to present recommendations to the Government by May, the Premier said, so they can be considered in the context of next financial year's state budget.