Legislative Council Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2) 52 2 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Answers to Questions Desalination Plant DESALINATION PLANT The Hon. J.A. DARLEY Legislative Council DESALINATION PLANT In reply to the Hon. J.A. DARLEY (19 October 2011) (First Session). The Hon. I.K. HUNTER Legislative Council Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers DESALINATION PLANT The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers): The Minister for Water and the River Murray has been advised: 1.	First water is the continuous and safe production of 10 per cent of the first 50 gigalitres desalination plant or approximately 15 million litres of desalinated drinking water per day. This was achieved in October 2011 and the desalination plant is currently supplying water into the SA Water network. First drop of desalinated water is the commencement of production of desalinated water (Permeate). This was achieved in July 2011. 2.	At the time of achieving the first drop of desalinated water, the contractor had produced in the order of 3.1 million litres of desalinated water (Permeate). At the time of achieving first water in October 2011, the contractor demonstrated plant capacity of nearly 30 million litres per day. 3.	As with all complex process plants, the contractor did encounter challenges associated with the electrical and protection trips on the high pressure pumps. These challenges were properly and methodically resolved.