Victoria’s desalination project streams ahead
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8 September 2009
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The Victorian Desalination Project is streaming ahead with the first contract awarded and construction set to begin in October, expected to inject $1 billion into the Victorian economy.
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AquaSure, the consortium delivering the project (comprising Suez Environnement, Degremont, Thiess and Macquarie Capital Group), have awarded a $150 million contract to build 84 kilometres of pipe for the project to Victorian-based company Tyco Water, securing 1000 local jobs.
Tyco Water will build the pipe at its Somerton factory creating 50 new jobs and securing 50 existing jobs, while BlueScope Steel will provide the majority of steel for the pipes protecting around 900 jobs at its Hastings facility.
Victorian Water Minister Tim Holding said the desalination plant would be operational from the end of 2011 and was critical to securing water supplies for Melbourne, Geelong and towns in Western Port and South Gippsland.
“I expect this project and other water projects like the Sugarloaf Pipeline will see our water storages begin to recover in 2012 and restrictions progressively eased.
“At the same time as securing our water supply, during construction of the desalination project we are securing 1700 direct jobs and as many as 3050 indirect jobs in a tough global economy,” he said.
Tyco Water, Australia’s largest pipe manufacturer, will produce around 6200 straight pipes for the pipeline which will transfer water from the plant site near Wonthaggi to Melbourne’s existing water network near Cardinia Reservoir.
Last year’s $40 million expansion of Tyco’s facility to produce larger-diameter pipes has helped it secure contracts for major water infrastructure projects across Australia.
Tyco Water has worked on a number of projects for the Victorian Government’s Water Plan including the Sugarloaf Pipeline, Goldfields Superpipe and Wimmera Mallee Pipeline.
AquaSure brings together three world leaders to finance, design, build, operate and maintain Australia’s largest desalination plant: Suez Environnement through its affiliate Degrémont, world leader in desalination technology; Thiess, one of Australia’s largest and most trusted construction and services companies; and Macquarie Capital, the world’s strongest and most experienced infrastructure advisor.
Located on the South Gippsland coast, the plant will be capable of supplying up to 150 billion litres of fresh drinking water each year – more than a third of Melbourne’s annual water needs.
For more information visit www.workingvictoria.vic.gov.au.
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