The South Australian Minister for Water Paul Caica has announced that ALLWATER Consortium has been chosen as the preferred bidder to manage Adelaide’s water and wastewater networks for the next 10 years.

Mr Caica said the State Government has approved the $1.129 billion Operations and Maintenance Alliance contract to provide services to SA Water’s metropolitan customers beginning on July 1 when the current contract with United Water ends.

ALLWATER is a joint venture between Australian company, Transfield Services, the Paris-based company Suez Environnement and Degremont, a subsidiary of Suez that specializes in water and wastewater treatment plants.

Mr Caica said that most staff making up the new consortium are expected to be recruited from the current contractor’s workforce.

He said that while responsibility for the management and maintenance of Adelaide’s water and wastewater networks and infrastructure lies with the new contractor, the State Government, though SA Water will continue to own all assets.