The $300 million Perth Seawater Desalination Plant is the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere and one of the largest in the world. It provides up to 143 mega liters of potable water a day for Perth’s integrated water distribution system and will provide 17% of Perth’s water consumption.
WorleyParsons was initially engaged by Water Corporation to undertake a feasibility study covering the following aspects:
- Project delivery and ownership options evaluated
- Desalination technology and power options identified
- Site independent specific water costs prepared to compare six RO and MED technologies
- Plant sites recommended
- Seawater and hydrodynamic studies completed
- Final product and drinking water quality specified
- Preliminary design of supporting infrastructure e.g. ocean intake and outfall, pre-treatment requirements, waste disposal, transmission pipelines
- Brine discharge dispersion studies for environmental approval
- Desalination plant specifications developed to tendering stage
The project then proceeded to the detailed definition and execution phases as a project alliance. WorleyParsons was selected as the engineering consultant by the Multiplex Degremont JV to initially develop the technical proposal and thereafter the detailed engineering for the seawater reverse osmosis plant. The scope also incorporated seawater intake and brine outfall, pre-treatment, stabilization, disinfection, and treated water pumping.
WorleyParsons is now involved in the second major desalination project being undertaken by Water Corporation.