Water Starts Flowing At Adelaide Desalination Plant

The Adelaide Desalination Plant has produced its first desalinated drinking water.

The $AU1.83 billion project at Port Stanvac is on track to be completed by the end of 2012, delivering 100GL of drinking water per year - up to half of Adelaide's annual water needs.

ACCIONA Agua is part of AdelaideAqua, the consortium designing, building and operating for 20 years the renewable energy-powered sea water reverse osmosis desalination plant, one of the largest plants of its kind anywhere in the world.

ACCIONA Group Managing Director Asia-Pacific, Brett Thomas said this was another significant milestone for ACCIONA's Australian operations.

"This leading-edge water project is the first in a significant pipeline of development in Australia for ACCIONA Agua.

"ACCIONA Agua last week signed financing for the $300m Mundaring Water Treatment Plant in Western Australia and is bidding for water services and design-build-operate contracts in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and Queensland.

"The announcement also wraps up a big month for ACCIONA's renewable energy operations after it launched its third wind farm at Gunning in New South Wales with Prime Minister Gillard.

"ACCIONA is actively extending its Australian footprint with further renewable energy, water and infrastructure projects planned for development in the next four years." Mr Thomas said.

ACCIONA Agua Development Director – Australia, Jose Maria Ortega said ACCIONA Agua brings leading-edge desalination technology, design and operational practices to the Adelaide plant.

"The plant's pre-treatment process and efficient reverse osmosis design provides high levels of reliability, significant energy savings and a smaller plant footprint," he said.

"Innovative technology will diffuse the saline concentrate back into the sea, meeting strict environmental performance criteria.

"This is a clear demonstration of our long-term focus on delivering sustainable solutions for Australia, acknowledging the critical need for high quality drinking water," he concluded.

The other partners in the AdelaideAqua consortium include McConnell Dowell Constructors, Abigroup Contractors and Trility.

SOURCE: ACCIONA