House of Assembly Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2) 52 2 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Answers to Questions Desalination Plant DESALINATION PLANT In reply to Mr WILLIAMS House of Assembly MacKillop Deputy Leader of the Opposition DESALINATION PLANT In reply to Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14 June 2012). The Hon. P. CAICA House of Assembly Colton Minister for Sustainability Minister for Water and the River Murray Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation DESALINATION PLANT The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation): I am advised: 1.	The first water milestone was achieved on 14 October 2011 and was certified by SA Water's representative on that date. Approximately $5.7 million (excluding GST) was paid from 8 July 2009 up to first water milestone. The payments made were for services rendered by the operator in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Contract and included: Review and certification of the design, procurement and construction works and associated documentation. Oversight of commissioning and testing activities to ensure the warranties and obligations of the operator in the O&M Contract are preserved. Preparation and implementation of preventative maintenance schedules and regimes throughout the completion phase to ensure the supplier warranties for critical elements are preserved. Review of relevant documentation and endorsement for certificate of attainment of first water, certificate of attainment of practical completion, certificate of attainment of project handover and registers of minor defects. In addition, a number of systems were progressively operated and maintained from March 2011, including seawater systems, pre-treatment systems, diffuser systems, chemical dosing and neutralisation systems, plant instrumentation and control systems and a range of building services and operations. The O&M operator also operated the temporary desalination pilot plant for a period of 20 months from around April 2009.