Challenge Delivering on its commitment to reducing reliance on mains water drawn from the River Murray, Arrium Mining invited interested companies to submit proposals that would result in the provision of at least a Gigalitre of water per annum from alternative sources. The cost of that water had to compare favourably with the potable water it replaced

Solution Osmoflo won with its proposal for a seawater reverse osmosis plant delivered through an innovative Build Own Operate contract. Osmoflo has financed designed and built the plant and will operate and maintain it for 10 years. Arrium Mining pays fees for facility availability and treated water throughput. Drawing source water from the Spencer Gulf, the plant includes two trains, each featuring pre-treatment by micro-filtration membranes followed by reverse osmosis modules which remove salts. Features include remote control capability and energy saving technology. Reject water from the reverse osmosis process containing brine is handled by Arrium Mining’s existing detention pond system. Here it undergoes significant mixing and dilution, ensuring negligible salinity impact on the Spencer Gulf.

Result With a capability of more than1.5 Gigalitres per annum the plant can deliver in excess of Arrium Mining’s original targeted mains water savings. Arrium Mining’s water security has been enhanced at cost over the contract term that is less than the company would have paid for continued reliance on mains supplies