DESALINATION PLANT

In reply to Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (22 July 2010).

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Treasurer, Minister for Federal/State Relations, Minister for Defence Industries): I refer to the Question Without Notice asked by the Leader of the Opposition Mrs. Redmond in the House of Assembly on 22 July 2010. Mrs Redmond has asked:

'Can the Treasurer confirm to the house that the total cost of the Adelaide Desalination Plant has now blown out by $400 million to at least $2.2 billion?'

The $2.2 billion figure relates to the costing for two separate projects, namely:

the 100 gigalitre Adelaide Desalination Plant and transfer pipeline, costing $1.8 billion; and

the North-South Interconnection System Project, costing $0.4 billion.

As outlined in the 2009-10 Budget Papers, the capital cost estimate for the Adelaide Desalination Plant is $1.8 billion. This capital costing includes the cost to build a 100 gigalitre desalination plant at Port Stanvac ($1.4 billion) and the cost to build a transfer pipeline between Port Stanvac and the Happy Valley water treatment plant ($0.4 billion).

The North-South Interconnection System Project is a separate project to connect Adelaide's northern and southern water supply networks. The capital cost estimate for this project is $0.4 billion.