Update 29 June 2017

VICTORIAN DESALINATION PROJECT PROVES ITS CAPABILITY - statement by Matt Brassington, CEO, AquaSure

Victorian Desalination Project proves its capability  

The Victorian Desalination Project provides a drought-proof water supply to Melbourne and Geelong.

As a rainfall-independent source of water it complements our existing catchments. With key components of the plant having a design life of 100 years it can produce high quality water whenever required, making it a resource that will be valued in times of future drought.

About the Project > VDP Fact Sheets >
  1. Seawater Lift Pump Station Seawater Lift Pump Station
    Seawater Lift Pump Station

    Seawater Lift Pump Station

    Transfers seawater to the pump station via intake structures located on the seabed.

    x Next Stage >
  2. Screen & Feed Pump Station Screen & Feed Pump Station
    Screen & Feed Pump Station

    Screen & Feed Pump Station

    Houses screen filters that remove large particles from seawater.

    x Next Stage >
  3. Pretreatment DMPF Pretreatment DMPF
    Pretreatment DMPF

    DMPF & Backwash Treatment

    Houses Dual Media Pressure Filters (DMPF) to remove fine particles from seawater.


    Collects backwash from the DMPFs and pumps it through to the Backwash Treatment Building.


    Treats and stores backwash from the DMPF process before it is pumped to the Solids Treatment Building.

    x Next Stage >
  4. Reverse Osmosis Building Reverse Osmosis Building
    Reverse Osmosis Building

    Reverse Osmosis Building

    Water passes through two stages of reverse osmosis where minerals and salts are removed.

    x Next Stage >
  5. Chemical Buildings Chemical Buildings
    Chemical Buildings

    Chemical Buildings

    House chemicals like fluoride and carbon dioxide used to potabilise the desalinated water.

    x Next Stage >
  6. Solids Treatment Building Solids Treatment Building
    Solids Treatment Building

    Solids Treatment Building

    Settlement and centrifuge process used to dewater the backwash waste prior to transfer offsite.

    x Next Stage >
  7. Potabilisation System Potabilisation System
    Potabilisation System

    Potabilisation System

    Point for mixing of chemicals to produce safe drinking water.

    x Next Stage >
  8. Transfer Pump Station and Surge Vessels Transfer Pump Station and Surge Vessels
    Transfer Pump Station and Surge Vessels

    Transfer Pump Station and Surge Vessels

    Pumps potable water into the transfer pipeline.

    x Start Again >

  • Production Capacity

    440
    Megalitres Per Day

  • Site area

    Total Site
    263
    hectares

  • Site area

    Coastal Park
    225
    hectares

  • Site Area

    Plant
    38
    hectares (29 buildings)

  • Concrete Poured

    76,978
    cubic metres

  • Structural Steel

    6,000
    tonnes

  • Electrical Cabling

    1,200
    kilometres

  • Earthworks

    1.3 million
    cubic metres

  • Green Roof

    26,000
    square metres

  • Green Roof

    100,000
    indigenous plants

  • Water Pipeline

    84
    km (1.93m diameter)

The Desalination Plant

Located in Wonthaggi, the Victorian Desalination Plant comprises 29 buildings including the reverse osmosis building, the heart of the VDP.

The plant has a guaranteed production capacity of 150 billion litres of water a year and the capability to expand to 200 billion litres a year - enough to fill 178 Olympic size swimming pools every single day!

Learn About the Plant >