Desal expansion doubles capacity

The Binningup desalination plant is expected to provide 30 per cent of the State’s drinking water after its expansion was announced yesterday.

Water Minister Bill Marmion and Premier Colin Barnett announced the move to double the capacity of the Binningup plant — providing 100 billion litres of drinking water each year.

The Premier said a lack of rainfall run-off into WA drinking water dams prompted the expansion announcement.

‘‘Despite the welcome recent rain, long-term forecasts show the south-west corner of Western Australia will become even drier in the future,’’ Mr Barnett said.

‘‘It’s important we act now to ensure security for the Integrated Water Supply Scheme that supplies drinking water to Perth, Mandurah, the Goldfields and towns along the way toKalgoorlie- Boulder.’’

Historically, desalination plants have been criticised for their economic cost, however Mr Barnett said expansion of the plant would be funded through a reprioritisation of funds already approved for allocation to the Water Corporation.

The first stage of the desalination plant has already been completed at a cost of $955 million and has just started supplying water into the scheme ahead of schedule.

The expansion would start to distribute water by December next year and would cost an additional $450 million.

‘‘The expansion of the SSDP was necessary because we can no longer rely on rainfall run-off into our dams as a major source of drinking water,’’ Mr Barnett said.

‘‘This was never more apparent than at the end of the 2010 winter which was the driest since records began.

Mr Marmion said existing contractors and workforce at the site would be used for the expansion.