On 6 September 2012, the AquaSure/Thiess Degremont Joint Venture announced that the Victorian desalination plant near Melbourne had started producing drinking water that meets Australian drinking water guidelines and contract requirements as part of ongoing commissioning.
Water is expected to be put into the water network in a week or so, depending on AquaSure’s commissioning progress.
The project’s 84 km transfer pipeline has a delivery point at Berwick that connects to Cardinia Reservoir. In Cardinia Reservoir, the water mixes with catchment supplies and can be transferred through Silvan Reservoir to the broader network, depending on how storages are managed.
The transfer pipeline constructed as part of the project has the ability to deliver water directly to customers, after it has been fully commissioned, because the water quality requirements must be met before water leaves the plant site. The delivery points on the transfer pipeline will be closed during commissioning.
The plant is currently scheduled to be fully operational by the end of 2012, with commissioning complete in February 2013. Following commissioning completion, water production will cease as the government has decided not to order water for 2012/13.