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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. The scope of the project included:
- the construction and operation of the desalination plant
- the 84 kilometre transfer pipeline to connect to Melbourne’s existing water supplies
- delivery of power supply for the project
- operations and maintenance
- the purchase of renewable energy credits.
Commissioning was completed in 2012.
Delivery timeline for the project
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June 2007
Feasibility study completed
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19 September 2007
Project announced
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4 June 2008
Invitation for Expressions of Interest to bid for project issued
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24 July 2008
Expressions of Interest closed
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30 September 2008
Requests for proposals for construction and operation issued to 2 shortlisted bidders
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27 March 2009
Request for proposal closes - bid assessment begins
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28 May 2009
Government announces underground power option preferred
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30 July 2009
Contract awarded to AquaSure
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2 September 2009
Financial close
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30 September 2009
Construction starts
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26 November 2009
Project summary tabled in Parliament. Project contract released
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4 February 2010
First pipe laid at Clyde North
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May 2010
Power infrastructure installation begins
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27 July 2010
Start of Tunnel Boring Machine 1 for Inlet Tunnel
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6 September 2010
Start of Tunnel Boring Machine 2 for Outlet Tunnel
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1 December 2010
Intake tunnel completed
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3 February 2011
Jack up barge departs
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16 March 2011
Outlet tunnel completed
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September 2011
Power cable installation completed
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24 October 2011
Transfer pipeline installation completed
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November 2011
Hydrotesting of transfer pipeline completed
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January 2012
Fibre optic cable installation completed
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24 February 2012
Flooding of marine tunnels completed
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7 March 2012
Power cable live
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17 May 2012
Planting complete on reverse osmosis building roof
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20 June 2012
Seawater starts flowing into pump station
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6 September 2012
Desalination plant produces first samples of drinking water
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26 September 2012
Drinking water from desalination plant starts flowing into Cardinia Reservoir
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29 September 2012
Desalination plant achieves Preliminary Commercial Acceptance
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30 November 2012
Desalination plant achieves commercial acceptance
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17 December 2012
Desalination plant achieves Reliability Testing Finalisation
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6 November 2013
Planting complete on Ecological Reserve
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13 January 2014
New 225ha VDP Ecological Reserve opening for local community
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6 March 2016
50GL water order announced for 2016-17
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19 March 2017
15GL water order announced for 2017-18
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29 March 2018
15GL water order announced for 2018-19
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18 March 2019
125GL water order announced for 2019-20
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27 March 2020
125GL water order announced for 2020-21
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31 March 2021
125GL water order announced for 2021-22
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1 April 2022
15GL water order announced for 2022-23
Approval timeline for the project
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30 November 2007
EES referral submitted by DEPI
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28 December 2007
Environmental Effects Statement (EES) announced
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7 February 2008
Commonwealth Government accredits EES process assessment under Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999(EPBC)
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19 March 2008
Public comment on draft EES scoping requirements
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4 May 2008
EES scoping requirements released
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20 August 2008
EES report and EPA Works Approval Application (WAA) submitted and exhibited for public comment
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30 September 2008
EES and WAA public exhibition closed
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October to November 2008
EES inquiry panel hearing
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4 December 2008
EES inquiry panel submits report to Planning Minister
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9 January 2009
EES assessment by Planning Minister announced
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3 March 2009
EPA works approval application approved
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19 March 2009
Federal Minister for Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts approves project under EPBC Act
Page last updated: 08/09/23