Sydney's desalination plant is likely to be switched on this weekend, according to the state resources minister, Don Harwin. Harwin said Sydneysiders could expect their water bills to increase by about $30 but “we have the lowest water bills of any major city across Australia”.
The plant is fired up when Sydney's water storages drop below 60 per cent and they are currently at 60.1 per cent. The installation will take between six and eight months to reach its total capacity of 246,600 m3/d. The plant can meet 15 percent of Sydney's total demand for potable water when it operates at full capacity.
The installation has been under repair after being hit by a storm in 2015. It had been operating at a low production level since 2012.
Sydney Desalination Plant is a large scale reverse osmosis desalination plant. The site covers 45 hectares and is located on the coast of Kurnell, 25 kilometres from Sydney's CBD.
