Hunter Water completes offshore works for desalination plant in Australia

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Hunter Water has completed the offshore construction works for the Belmont Desalination Plant, a key component of the Lower Hunter region's water security plan. With the near-shore works finished, the specialised jack-up barge used for construction has departed Belmont and returned to the CTB shipyard at the Port of Newcastle.

The offshore works included the construction of an 830-metre-long seawater intake tunnel and the recovery of the tunnel boring machine, Rhiannan, from the near-shore intake structure. The tunnel will be used to draw seawater from the ocean and deliver it to the desalination plant for treatment. Another key component was the installation of a near-shore intake dome above the intake structure, which protects the intake point while allowing seawater to be drawn into the facility.

New South Wales Minister for the Hunter, Yasmin Catley, said the completion of the offshore works marked a significant milestone for the project, bringing this critical infrastructure one step closer to operation. Catley noted that reaching this stage of the project required deep engineering expertise, and once operational, it will provide a new water source for the region, enhancing water supply security.

Justin Watts, Hunter Water's Executive Manager of Infrastructure Delivery, explained that the offshore works involved some of the most technically complex construction activities in the project, including near-shore tunnelling beneath the seabed, installation of the intake dome, and the offshore recovery of the tunnel boring machine. Watts expressed gratitude to the Belmont community, local businesses, beach users, and other stakeholders for their patience and support during construction. He noted that with the offshore works completed and the barge departed, construction focus has shifted to the desalination plant itself and its connection infrastructure to the water supply network.

The Belmont Desalination Plant is part of the Lower Hunter Water Security Plan, designed to provide the region with a rainfall-independent drinking water source under future drought and climate change conditions. Once operational, the plant is expected to produce up to 30 million litres of drinking water per day, accounting for approximately 15% of the Lower Hunter region's average daily water demand.

Construction of the treatment plant and associated infrastructure is still ongoing, with further construction tasks required before the facility can be officially commissioned.