Adelaide Desalination Plant: Ensuring Water Security for South Australia
The Adelaide Desalination Plant in South Australia has empowered the region to withstand droughts and meet the water needs of its population year-round.
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The Greek storyteller Aesop once recounted the tale of a thirsty crow, on the brink of collapse, who stumbled upon a pitcher of water. Eager to drink, the crow realized that its beak couldn’t reach the water. After a brief moment of thought, it began dropping pebbles into the pitcher, one by one. As the water level rose, displaced by the pebbles, it finally came within reach, and the crow was able to quench its thirst.
In the Australian city of Adelaide, water once flowed daily from the Murray River, delivering vital wate. But the townsfolk soon discovered that the river’s flow diminished during droughts, leaving livestock parched. With no nearby mountains to gather clouds, the wind would carry them away.
At the dawn of the 21st century, the region was struck by the Millennium Drought, leading to water shortages and livestock losses. Just a short distance away on the coast, the ocean held its vast reserves of saltwater like a tantalizing but inaccessible treasure. It was here that human innovation was called upon to turn the saltwater into a usable resource for both people and animals.
To avoid repeating history, the local government in 2007 embarked on its largest-ever infrastructure project. In 2013, the Adelaide Desalination Plant became operational, capable of providing up to 50% of the region’s water needs in summer and up to 100% in winter. Thanks to ACCIONA’s skilled management, the plant now ensures a steady water supply, standing ready to mitigate the effects of drought.
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Adelaide desalination plant: the water sentinel
Today, perched like a sentinel on a cliff 50 meters above sea level, the Adelaide Desalination Plant safeguards the region’s water supply. In typical years, it provides around 4% of the area’s water, but in times of crisis, it can ramp up production, supplying up to two million people with 100 Hm³ of water annually.
For example, during the 2019 drought, known as the Tinderbox Drought, the federal government struck a deal with SA Water Corporation to increase the plant’s production to 40,000 Hm³. This allowed upstream farmers to access more water from the Murray River, helping them grow feed and preserve their livestock.
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Thanks to ACCIONA’s skilled management of the desalination plant, the city has a guaranteed supply, ready to mitigate the effects of drought.
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An international team on standby
At the Adelaide plant, a dedicated team of technicians and operators from countries as diverse as Spain, India, and Indonesia is always on alert. Their main adversary is not human but meteorological—the absence of rain. During normal times, their mission is not to produce large quantities of water but to ensure that the plant is always ready to go into full operation.
This includes maintaining over 35,000 reverse osmosis membranes—the key technology for desalinating water—ensuring equipment longevity, monitoring control systems, keeping sufficient reagent supplies, and maintaining site safety. Occasionally, the plant’s maximum output is tested to ensure everything remains in peak condition.
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One of the most advanced desalination plants in the world
When the South Australian government embarked on the Adelaide Desalination Plant project, we aimed for an innovative and groundbreaking solution. Thanks to extensive research and development, it became the first plant in the world to incorporate large-scale advanced pretreatment using submerged ultrafiltration membranes before the osmosis process. This allowed the water to enter the desalination phase in better condition, where we also integrated a two-stage process for greater efficiency and longevity.
On the energy front, we equipped the plant with solar panels capable of generating up to 200 kW and installed energy recuperators to harness the water pressure after it passes through the osmosis membranes. We also implemented Francis turbines to capture the potential energy of the brine flow as it returns to the sea.
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Once operational, these technologies contributed to significant energy efficiency improvements, achieving a 45% reduction in energy consumption. Additionally, the plant’s desalinated water conversion rate reaches nearly half of the total water intake.
At the same time, we have lowered operational and maintenance costs and reduced the plant’s environmental impact. These advancements led to the South Australian Water Corporation winning the Green Project Management (GPM) Gold Award for Sustainable Project of the Year in 2013, along with ACCIONA receiving a Global Water Intelligence (GWI) award.
South Australia is the driest state in a vast country comparable in size to Brazil or China. Its development has been hindered by a lack of rainfall and absence of mountains to capture it. However, human ingenuity combined with cutting-edge technology is making it possible to meet water demands and secure the future of the region’s residents.
Alongside the new Alkimos Desalination Plant in Western Australia and other water treatment projects like the Mundaring DWTP, ACCIONA is dedicated to ensuring water sustainability across the country through innovation and sustainable development.
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