‘Finalisation’ works begin on Gold Coast desalination plant

Queensland’s Tugun desalination plant, on Australia’s Gold Coast, temporarily stopped producing water on 4 June 2010 to allow improvement works to occur.

Minister for Infrastructure and Planning Stirling Hinchliffe said on 28 May, “While the majority of issues identified in last year’s compliance report have been resolved, water production will temporarily cease on June 4 to allow for finalisation of the plant.

“This work, to ensure the durability of the plant for its intended life, will include the upgrade of key sections of pipe work to higher grade stainless steel, the strengthening of the marine diffuser header, an inspection of the seawater intake shaft and completion of any necessary works, and the replacement of the intermediate permeate water tank – a small tank associated with the reverse osmosis process.”

To allow for marine works, an offshore barge will moor off Tugun between mid-June and August when final works were scheduled for completion.

Finalisation costs, like the costs of all works at the plant, are expected to remain within the plant’s total project budget of Aus$ 1.2 billion (US$ 0.98 billion). These works do not involve expansion of the plant.