Second Perth desalination plant opens early

The Southern Seawater Desalination Plant south of Perth was officially opened by Western Australia’s water minister, Bill Marmion, on 2 September 2011, three months ahead of schedule and within the Aus$ 955 million (US$ 1,013 million) budget.

The plant, near Binningup, will provide up to 50 million m³ of freshwater into the Integrated Water Supply Scheme (IWSS) each year. The plant has already started supplying water into the IWSS and will reach its full capacity within about a year.

The focus on site has now shifted to the plant expansion, recently announced by the state government, which will see the capacity double to 100 million m³/year, by the summer of 2012-13.

Construction of the SSDP and its associated integration works has been the largest and most complex infrastructure project the Water Corporation has ever delivered, the Minister said.

The design, construction and operation (for 25 years) of the Southern Seawater desalination plant was awarded to the Southern SeaWater Alliance (SSWA) comprising Tecnicas Reunidas, Valoriza Agua, AJ Lucas, WorleyParsons and the Water Corporation.