Project Timeline
The project was announced in 2007, with an Environment Effects Statement prepared in 2008 in parallel with a tendering process to award the contract, which was signed in July 2009. Construction began in September 2009 and commissioning is currently expected in February 2013.
The timeline for the project is as follows:
| 28 February 2012 |
Current scheduled date for Reliability Testing Finalisation, i.e., plant passes all reliability testing |
| 15 November 2012 |
Current scheduled date for Commercial Acceptance, i.e., plant first produced water at 150GL pa rate |
| 1 April 2012 | First annual water order placed |
| 7 March 2012 |
Power cable live |
| 24 February 2012 |
Flooding of marine tunnels completed |
| January 2012 |
Fibre optic cable installation completed |
| November 2011 |
Hydrotesting of transfer pipeline completed |
| 24 October 2011 |
Transfer pipeline installation completed |
| September 2011 |
Power cable installation completed |
| 16 March 2011 |
Outlet tunnel completed |
| 3 February 2011 |
Jack up barge departs |
| 1 December 2010 |
Intake tunnel completed |
| 22 October 2010 |
Project named Project Finance Deal of the Year at the CFO Awards |
| 11 October 2010 |
Jack up barge arrives on site at Wonthaggi |
| 27 September 2010 |
Jack up barge arrives at Western Port |
| 16 September 2010 |
Job opportunities grow from desalination green roof |
| 6 September 2010 |
Start of Tunnel Boring Machine 2 for Outlet Tunnel |
| 27 July 2010 | Start of Tunnel Boring Machine 1 for Inlet Tunnel |
| June 2010 |
Project named on Infrastructure Journal's Infrastructure 100 list |
| May 2010 | Power infrastructure installation begins |
| 26 April 2010 |
Project named Desalination Deal of the Year at Global Water Awards |
| 31 March 2010 |
Project named Infrastructure and Project Finance Deal of the Year (Asia) by The Banker (Financial Times) |
| 11 March 2010 |
Project named Global Deal of the Year and Deal of the Year - PPP (2009) at the Infrastructure Journal Infrastructure Awards |
| 11 March 2010 |
Project wins Infrastructure Partnerships Australia Financial Excellence Award |
| 10 February 2010 |
Project awarded Australian & NZ Deal of the Year (2009) by International Financing Review Australia |
| 8 February 2010 |
Project named Best Finance Project Finance Deal in Australia (2009) by Asiamoney magazine |
| 6 February 2010 |
New Community Information Centre opens in Wonthaggi |
| 4 February 2010 |
Project wins Asia Pacific Project Financing of the Year and Best Australasia Deal of the Year at Euroweek Asia Pacific Loan Awards |
| 4 February 2010 |
First pipe laid at Clyde North |
| 20 January 2010 |
Project awarded PPP Deal of the Year Asia Pacific (2009) by Project Finance International |
| January 2009 |
Offers of compensation sent to landowners on the Cranbourne easement |
| December 2009 |
Offers of compensation sent to landowners on the pipeline and power easement |
| 26 November 2009 |
Project Summary tabled in Parliament. Project contract released |
| 19 November 2009 |
Syndication of debt completed. Government guarantee no longer required. |
| 30 October 2009 |
Independently Chaired Community Liaison Group meetings commence |
| 30 September 2009 | Construction starts |
|---|---|
| 2 September 2009 | Financial close |
| 30 July 2009 |
Contract awarded to AquaSure |
| 28 May 2009 |
Government announces underground power option preferred |
| 27 March 2009 | Request for Proposal closes - bid assessment begins |
| 19 March 2009 |
Federal Minister for Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts approves project under EPBC Act |
| 3 March 2009 |
EPA Works Approval Application approved |
| 9 January 2009 |
EES Assessment by Planning Minister announced |
| 4 December 2008 |
EES Inquiry Panel submits report to Planning Minister |
| October/November 2008 |
EES Inquiry Panel Hearing |
| 30 September 2008 |
Requests for Proposals for construction and operation issued to two shortlisted bidders |
| 30 September 2008 | EES and WAA public exhibition closed |
| 20 August 2008 | EES report and EPA Works Approval Application (WAA) submitted and exhibited for public comment |
| August 2008 |
Formal Council Liaison Group meetings commence |
| 24 July 2008 |
Expressions of Interest closed |
| 4 June 2008 |
Invitation for Expressions of Interest to bid for project issued |
| 4 May 2008 |
EES Scoping Requirements released |
| 19 March 2008 | Public comment on Draft EES Scoping Requirements |
| 7 February 2008 | Commonwealth Government accredits EES process assessment under Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) |
| 28 December 2007 |
Planning Minister announced EES to be undertaken |
| 30 November 2007 |
EES Referral submitted by DSE |
| 19 September 2007 | Government announces desalination project will be delivered as a PPP and Project Information Office opens in Wonthaggi |
| 19 June 2007 |
The Next Stage of the Government's Water Plan announced |
| June 2007 |
Feasibility Study completed |