- ACCIONA
- Projects
- Water
- Desalination Plants
- Adelaide Desalination Plant
Adelaide Desalination Plant
The plant was built in two phases, reaching a 300 million litres per day (MLD) capacity. The plant has been operational since December 2012.
The Adelaide Desalination Plant has been operating continuously since completion and has delivered more than 130 gigalitres of desalinated drinking water into the SA Water supply network (current as of end-December 2015). This state significant South Australian asset provides 50% of Adelaide's drinking water needs from a climate-independent source.
Having this asset completed, operational and delivered on-time, has eliminated water restrictions in South Australia and improved the diversity and reliability of water supplies to business and communities in South Australia.
360 view of the desalination plant
For more information:
General information
- Client
- SA Water Corporation
- Type of contract
- Design, Build, Operate and Maintain (DBOM)
- Contract award
- February 2009
- Location
- Port Stanvac, south of metropolitan Adelaide
- Technology
- Reverse Osmosis Seawater Desalination
- Maximum capacity
- 100 gigalitres per year. The state-of-the-art plant has the capacity to deliver up to 300 million litres of water each day (100 billion litres a year), about half of Adelaide's current water needs.
- Project term
- Construction plus 20 years operation
- Construction schedule
- Completed and delivered on 12/12/12 (On-time and within original budget)
- Capital cost
- AU$1.83 billion
- Construction
- AdelaideAqua D&C Consortium comprising McConnell Dowell Constructors, Abigroup Contractors and ACCIONA Agua, is responsible for the construction of the plant
- Operations
- AdelaideAqua Pty Ltd, a company owned equally by ACCIONA and Trility Pty Ltd jointly operates and maintains the facility for 20 years
Benefits
The technology used in ACCIONA’s design makes this desalination plant a global benchmark. This design brings a number of important benefits, such as:
- An advanced pre-treatment process that provides high levels of reliability, less energy use and a reduced need for chemicals.
- A highly efficient reverse osmosis design which enables more efficient use of extracted seawater, significant energy savings and a smaller plant footprint.
- An innovative diffuser design for the saline concentrate that ensures adequate mixing back into the marine environment and fulfils the environmental performance criteria.
Awards
- 2013 Project Management Institute (PMI), USA, International Global Project of the Year Award
- 2013 Project Management Association (PMI), The Netherlands, Project Excellence Award, Gold Medal Winner in the category of Mega Projects Project Management Institute (Australia), National Project of the Year Award
- 2013 Water Industry Alliance, Smart Water Awards, Winner in the category of Planning and Delivery
- 2013 Engineers Australia (South Australian Branch), Engineering Excellence Award, Commendation in the category of Project Infrastructure
- 2013 Global Water Intelligence, Desalination Plant of the Year, Distinction Award
- 2012 South Australian Water Corporation, Award for the Project Team and Individual Team Members - Overall SA Water Values Award Winner
- 2012 National Electrical and Communications Association, National Excellence Award, Winner in the Large Industrial Category
- 2012 Australian Water Association (South Australian Branch), Winner in the Infrastructure Innovation Category
- 2012 Civil Contractor's Federation, Earth Awards, Winner in the category of Projects greater than $75 million contract value
- 2012 Master Builders Association (South Australian Branch), Winner of the Excellence in Services Category
Image Gallery
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