Southern Seawater Desalination Plant

Southern Seawater Desalination Plant

“Asset management has also proven critical in Australia’s water sector. The country spent billions building six huge seawater desalination plants during a severe drought from 1997 to 2009. Today, four are shut down because the cost of the water became non-competitive when rain finally came. The judges noted that desalination is not cheap, but it may be essential for growing cities in unpredictable arid climates” (KPMG). 

One such important project which being undertaken in recent times is the Southern Seawater Desalination Plant. The plant is being set up 150 kilometres south of Perth. It was initially scheduled to open in September 2011 and was expected to deliver 50 giga litres of potable water. But now it has bee fully operational since January 2013 and delivers 100 giga litres of water. It supplies to entire Western Australia which has recorded some of the driest temperatures. One distinct feature of this project is that its energy requirements are met by a 10 MW solar farm and 55 MW wind farm.

(Image Credit: Water-technology.net)