The second stage of Western Australia’s Southern Seawater Desalination Plant (SSDP) has been completed with the first intake of sea water, marking a major milestone in commissioning the State Government’s $450million expansion project.

Premier Colin Barnett and Water Minister Bill Marmion were on site to activate the flow of seawater into the facility, which will eventually be treated and delivered to the Integrated Water Supply Scheme as drinking water. 

The Liberal National Government made the decision in August 2011 to double the capacity of the Southern Seawater Desalination Plant to 100 billion litres of drinking water a year. Another 45 billion litres is available from Perth’s Seawater Desalination Plant.

“In Western Australia’s changing climate, the supply and security of desalination has proved invaluable,” Mr Marmion said.

“Without desalination, Perth would have been subject to severe sprinkler bans, as occurred on the east coast, and almost total reliance on groundwater sources.”

Delivery of four large water pumps to the expansion project from Germany is expected in the coming days, which will significantly improve the long-term efficiency of the plant.

The new pumps will be installed and then tested in March and the first drinking water will be delivered to the Integrated Water Supply Scheme shortly afterwards.

IWSS supplies 1.7 million people in Perth, Mandurah, and parts of the South-West, and is connected to the Goldfields and Agricultural Water Supply Scheme.