MARINE exclusion zones around offshore work areas associated with the Alkimos Seawater Desalination Plant have been removed and the plant remains on track to be fully operational in 2028, according to the Cook Government.
On September 1 the state government said two of the undersea tunnels had been completed, marking another construction milestone for the $2.8 billion Alkimos plant.
The separate 2.5km-intake and 4km-outfall tunnels, extending 1.6km and 3km offshore respectively, will draw seawater into the plant and return the brine to the ocean.
During the past 15 months, tunnel boring machines, Mary and Karli, have excavated up to 50m each day, 20m below the seabed, installing about 32,000 concrete segments.
Delivered by the Alkimos Seawater Alliance, the machines are now being demobilised before work starts to connect the tunnels to the undersea intake and outfall structures, installed by jack-up barge, Beverley.
Although the marine exclusion zones around offshore work areas have been removed some vessel activity will continue for final inspections, surveys and commissioning checks.
The government said each tunnel was sized to allow for future expansion beyond the plant’s first stage capacity of 50 billion litres of drinking water, which would help supply more than 2.5 million people in WA and reduce reliance on climate-impacted groundwater sources.
The wider project’s focus now shifts to the fit-out of the plant’s buildings and the start of electrical and mechanical works within the 29ha work site.
Premier Roger Cook said as WA’s next major water source the project would help meet the needs of a growing population and reduce the pressure on groundwater, while delivering strong economic benefits for the state.
Water Minister and Landsdale MLA Daniel Pastorelli said when the plant started operating next year it would initially supply 50 billion litres of drinking water a year.
“But while desalination will form the bedrock of our future water supply, off the back of a dry winter, it’s more important than ever to use water – our most valuable resource – wisely for our collective water security,’’ he said.
Butler MLA Lorna Clarke said the desalination plant was creating more than 1500 jobs – many of them in Alkimos, Eglinton, Yanchep and Two Rocks.
