THE trend for the private sector to deliver traditional government infrastructure in Western Australia has continued, with a private consortium selected to fund, build and operate a new $300 million water treatment plant at Mundaring.
THE trend for the private sector to deliver traditional government infrastructure in Western Australia has continued, with a private consortium selected to fund, build and operate a new $300 million water treatment plant at Mundaring.
The preferred consortium, known as Helena Water, comprises the Royal Bank of Scotland, Spanish water company Acciona Agua, Mitsubishi Corp subsidiary United Utilities Australia, and Brookfield Multiplex.
Engineering consultant GHD is the design partner.
They pipped a competing consortium comprising the Commonwealth Bank, French company Degremont, Abigroup, and McConnell Dowell.
The project represents the first fully-fledged public private partnership in the WA water industry.
Previously, the private sector has been contracted to build and run infrastructure projects, including the desalination plants at Kwinana and Binningup, but funding and ownership has stayed in government hands.
“We are fully satisfied that a public private partnership in which private industry funds, designs, constructs and operates this plant is the right model to deliver this crucial water infrastructure project,” Water Minister Bill Marmion said in a statement.
Another PPP contract close to being finalised is the development of two new multi-storey car parks at the QEII Medical Centre.
This project, estimated to cost $140 million during the construction phase, will have about 3,500 new car bays.
The successful contractor will also be responsible for managing the 1,500 ground-level car bays already at the site.
Three consortia have been short-listed for the project, combining financiers, car park operators and construction companies.
Investment group IPG, which owns the parking rights at nine major Australian public hospitals, has partnered with Metro Parking Management and John Holland.
Macquarie Bank subsidiary Sure Park has teamed up with S&K Car Park Management and Brookfield Multiplex, which was recently awarded a separate contract to build a $180 million central energy plant at QEII. The third consortium comprises Capella Capital, Esipark and Probuild Construction.
As well as the PPP projects, the state government plans to appoint a private consortium to build and run the $360 million Midland Health Campus.
Two consortia have been short-listed – Ramsay Healthcare with John Holland and St John of God Healthcare with Brookfield Multiplex.
The Mundaring project involves construction of a new water treatment plant, a pump station and various pipelines and will service the Goldfields and Wheatbelt regions.
The contract is due to be finalised in about four months when all terms and conditions are agreed.
“The decision to award preferred tender status now is to make sure that Helena Water remains in the best possible position to commission the new plant on time in mid-2013,” Mr Marmion said.
