ACCIONA is leading the consortium to design, build, operate and maintain the Alkimos Seawater Desalination Plant in Perth, Western Australia.
ACCIONA is leading the consortium to design, build, operate and maintain the Alkimos Seawater Desalination Plant in Perth for ten years.
The project will be delivered as an alliance comprising Water Corporation, ACCIONA and Jacobs, with safety, wellbeing and sustainability embedded throughout the design, delivery and operational phases.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Location: Alkimos is located in Noongar Country, within the traditional lands of the Whadjuk Noongar People
Situated within the Alkimos Water Precinct, adjacent to the existing Alkimos Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The facility integrates with Perth's water supply network via a 33.5-kilometer underground pipeline connecting Alkimos to Wanneroo.
The desalination plant will help the region manage declining rainfall and growing demand for drinking water.
Since 1970, winter rainfall in southwest Western Australia has declined by approximately 20 per cent.
Meanwhile, Perth’s population, currently 2.12 million, is projected to reach 2.9 million by 2031 and 3.5 million by 2050, to make it Australia’s third‑largest city.
Partnerships: Alkimos SeaWater Alliance (ASWA) an alliance of Water Corporation, ACCIONA and Jacobs Group Australia, leads the project, bringing extensive expertise in water infrastructure delivery and operations.
Project value: Alkimos is part of an overall Water Corporation program of works valued at AU$2.8 billion to secure drinking water to millions of Western Australians.
Timeline: Construction began in mid-2024, with commissioning and delivery of drinking water targeted for 2028.
KEY FEATURES
- Stage 1 of the plant will produce 150,000 cubic meters (150 million litres) of drinking water per day, equivalent to over 50 billion litres annually.
- There is a provision for a future Stage 2 expansion doubling capacity to 300,000 cubic meters per day (100 billion litres annually)
- The plant is designed for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions during construction and operation
- The project is on track to achieve a design and as-built infrastructure sustainability rating, reflecting environmental performance efforts embedded in the project.
BENEFITS
- The Alkimos Seawater Desalination Plant will help reduce the region’s reliance on groundwater, helping to preserve wetlands, forests, parks, and public open spaces.
- ACCIONA has committed to creating over 1,300 local jobs, including at least 155 apprenticeships and traineeships, to support workforce development in Western Australia.
- Built-up, vegetated sand dunes and retaining walls will protect the facility from coastal impacts and integrate it with the natural landscape.