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Overall project documentation
In 2005, a desalination planning study (PDF - 2360KB) was undertaken. This feasibility study looked at a shortlist of options to secure Sydney's water supply.
All the following linked documents are in sequential order.
Project approvals
Compliance tracking program
Current environmental management plans
Desalination plant contract
Pipeline - project alliance
Desalination renewable energy contracts
Desalination operating rules
Sydney Desalination Plant licences under the Water Industry Competition Act
Project approvals
As required by the NSW Minister for Planning as part of the planning approvals for Sydney's Desalination Project, below are the relevant Environmental assessments, determinations, current approvals, licences and permits.
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Compliance tracking program
Under the Minister's Conditions of Approval for the desalination project, Sydney Water must develop a compliance tracking program to report to the Director General of the NSW Department of Planning every year.
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Current environmental management plans
| Pipeline (including drinking water pumping station) |
| Beach and Foreshore Monitoring, Program Botany Bay Sector (PDF - 1824KB) |
| Ecosystem Monitoring Program, Botany Bay Sector (PDF - 1643KB) |
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Desalination plant contract
Note : The descriptions of the Desalination plant contracts on this website may not be complete or up to date, and those descriptions are currently undergoing review.
Blue Water - a joint venture between Veolia and John Holland - built the desalination plant. Veolia Water will operate and maintain the plant and Sydney Water will own the plant. The documents below include amendments made to one of the contracts (the Design and Construct Contract) in October 2008.
These documents do not disclose commercial-in-confidence information, in line with Section 15A of the Freedom of Information Act. Sydney Water and other state-owned corporations are exempt from these public disclosure requirements. However, the documents are being made available as part of Sydney Water's commitment to transparency.
| 2007 | Contracts Summary (PDF - 6356KB) | |
| 2007 | Volume 1 - Design and construct contract (PDF - 3863KB) | |
| 2007 | Volume 2 - Design and construct contract: Schedule 14 - Company's requirements (PDF - 3773KB) | |
| 2007 | Volume 3 - Refer to contract summary | |
| 2007 | Volume 4 - Operate & maintain contract (PDF - 8254KB) | |
| 2007 | Volume 5 - Operate & maintain contract: Exhibit A - Company's requirements (PDF - 4509KB) | |
| 2007 | Volume 6 - Other project documents (PDF - 4104KB) | |
| 2009 | Design & Construct Contract Amending Deeds (PDF - 1360KB) |
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Pipeline - project alliance agreement
Note : The descriptions of the Pipeline project alliance on this website may not be complete or up to date, and those descriptions are currently undergoing review.
The Water Delivery Alliance which included Sydney Water, Bovis Lend Lease, McConnell Dowell, Kellogg Brown & Root, Worley Parsons and Environmental Resources Management, built the pipeline. Sydney Water owns the pipeline.
These documents do not disclose commercial-in-confidence information, in line with Section 15A of the Freedom of Information Act. Sydney Water and other state-owned corporations are exempt from these public disclosure requirements. However, the documents are being made available as part of Sydney Water's commitment to transparency.
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Desalination renewable energy contracts
Note : The descriptions of the Desalination renewable energy contracts on this website may not be complete or up to date, and those descriptions are currently undergoing review.
The desalination plant is powered by 100% renewable energy. Sydney Water has signed 20-year energy supply contract with Renewable Power Ventures and Babcock & Brown Power.
These documents do not disclose commercial-in-confidence information, in line with Section 15A of the Freedom of Information Act. Sydney Water and other state-owned corporations are exempt from these public disclosure requirements. However, the documents are being made available as part of Sydney Water's commitment to transparency.
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Desalination operating rules
| 2010 | Fact Sheet: Summary of desalination operating rules (PDF - 242KB) | |
| 2010 | Desalination operating rules - CIE report (PDF - 1148KB) |
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Sydney Desalination Plant licences under the Water Industry Competition Act
The desalination plant is owned by Sydney Desalination Plant Pty Limited (SDP), a wholly owned subsidiary of Sydney Water. SDP holds a Retail Supplier and a Network Operator licence under the Water Industry Competition Act 2006. SDP operates under these licences as it is a bulk water supplier, like the Sydney Catchment Authority.
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