Public Private Partnership

PPPs are service-based contracts, where the private sector invests its capital in designing, building, financing, operating, and maintaining a facility in return for payment for the delivered service.

In the case of the Victorian Desalination Project, payments are made for water delivered to the quality and quantity required and for the security of having a facility built and maintained so that it is capable of delivering water, if required.

Refer to the Department of Treasury and Finance for more information.

$3.5 billion capital cost

AquaSure has funded the cost of building the plant, pipeline, and power supply, with the capital cost to build the project being $3.5 billion.

AquaSure has also funded the ongoing operation and maintenance costs to 2039. These costs are paid back to AquaSure over the 30 year contract period.

Payments

Payments are in two key components: water security payments, which reflect the security of having the desalination plant built and maintained to function, and water usage payments, which reflect the variable costs of producing water when it is ordered.

This payment structure means we only pay for water if we need it, limiting the costs to the State Government and water customers, and the cost of construction and maintenance costs when water isn’t needed.

The water security payment is made on the condition that AquaSure is capable of delivering the water that is ordered, to the required quantity and quality. To receive the water security payment, AquaSure must demonstrate that the project could have responded to an order for the supply of water.

The water usage payment is made only if water is ordered and delivered. Both the water security and the water usage payments are at risk if there is a failure to perform to the required standards.