Adelaide desalination consortium fined by SA Water

SA Water has imposed financial penalties on the builder of the 100,000 m³/d Adelaide seawater desalination in South Australia for failing to deliver water on time.

AdelaideAqua, the consortium comprising Acciona Agua, McConnell Dowell Constructors, Abigroup Contractors and Trility, produced the first water from the initial 50,000 m³/d section in October 2011, almost a year late. Water from the second half of the project is due by the end of 2012.

SA Water issued this statement: “The contract between SA Water and AdelaideAqua includes provision for specific financial consequences flowing from delayed completion of the First Water milestone. SA Water is enforcing those financial consequences in its administration of the contract payment process.

“Because SA Water is subject to obligations of confidentiality in relation to the contract, SA Water will not disclose the details of the financial consequences that were agreed in the contract and are now being applied, but they are significant.”