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Galvanized Steel at Sydney's Desalination Plant by Galvanizers Association


The Sydney Desalination Plant

The new Sydney Desalination Plant is located on the Kurnell Peninsula, bounded by Botany Bay and the ocean in NSW.

The desalination plant has been commissioned by Sydney Water and is being delivered by Blue Water, a joint venture between John Holland and Veolia. The 18 km pipeline that will distribute the water produced at the plant is being built by the Water Delivery Alliance. This group includes Sydney Water, Bovis Lend Lease, McConnell Dowell, Kellogg Brown & Root, Worley Parsons and Environment Resources Management.

Australian Made for Australian Conditions

An important aspect of the structural steel in the reverse osmosis plant is that it was sourced, fabricated and galvanized in Australia. The capability of the local steel industry coupled with the ingenuity and coordination skills of Alfasi Steel Constructions and the galvanizer meant that the project was able to proceed smoothly. The access of all the stakeholders to each other played a significant part in the success of the project.

Using a local supplier also made sense to Alfasi. "The galvanizer would come and pick up the steel once a day from the workshop during normal times. However, if things got really busy or deadlines were tight, then they would come twice a day. Occasionally, one day turnaround was required and we always found that their people were happy to help out. We could send our transport there ready to pick up the steel for Sydney and they would make sure it was ready for us."

The GAA found that everything went smoothly with these Australian companies dealing with each other and supplying a major local infrastructure project. Of particular interest was the fact that employees found that it gave them something tangible to be proud of and say, 'we did that'. The hot dip galvanizing industry prides itself on its service and the project showed what Australian industry can do when it's given the opportunity.

Both Alfasi and the galvanizer showed that local product and local industry are able to meet the demanding and exacting requirement of challenging and iconic infrastructure projects.

As the galvanizer was a member of the GAA, they had access to all the technical support and other services that are provided as part of their membership. Customers of GAA members also have access to this valuable resource and this provides them with the security of knowing that their suppliers have access to all of the latest up to date technical information. It can be disappointing when projects have problems with imported product only to find that there is a lack of support and then experts such as the GAA are expected to assist in remediation and/or design modifications. Members contributing to the GAA provide funding for research, technical services, education and work in other areas. This shouldn't be dismissed lightly by those involved in large infrastructure projects.

Now in Sydney, they can all drink to that for well into the future!


Structural steel showing extra corrosion protection at base of columns

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