KBR Inc. has secured a new four-year contract with South Australian Water Corp. (SA Water) to support the utility's capital delivery program, which the Houston-based company describes as one of the South Australian Government's most significant infrastructure programs. The award was won through a competitive tender and extends a relationship that dates back 15 years, carrying it through 2030.
The program is intended to support SA Water's largest-ever period of investment, with approximately A$3.3 billion in water infrastructure projects planned over the four years. That figure refers to planned capital work rather than construction already completed.
Scope spans treatment, transfer and networks
Under the agreement, KBR will support the delivery of critical water and wastewater infrastructure services for SA Water's 1.8 million customers across South Australia. The work described covers dam upgrades, water tank refurbishments, bulk water transfer infrastructure, water main replacements, sewer network upgrades, and upgrades to water and wastewater treatment plants, spanning both drinking water and wastewater assets.
The listed scope mixes replacement and refurbishment activity, such as main replacements and tank refurbishments, with upgrades to existing treatment plants and the delivery of bulk transfer infrastructure. KBR's role is framed as support for the delivery of these projects within the utility's capital program.
Company points to 15-year record
Margaret Riley, KBR's director of water, said the appointment reinforces the company's position as a trusted partner in the water sector. According to Riley, KBR has worked alongside SA Water over the past 15 years to design, deliver and project-manage some of the most critical water infrastructure projects, and the new contract demonstrates the team's experience, technical capability and focus on safety, innovation and service excellence. She said the company looked forward to working closely with SA Water to deliver lasting benefits for customers, communities and the broader South Australian economy.
Over the past year, according to the company, the capital delivery team has managed more than 2,000 individual projects. Those included 69 kilometers of new water mains, a major upgrade of the 132-kilometer Tailem Bend to Keith pipeline, and a desalination plant for the outback town of Marree.
Housing and pipeline programs ahead
KBR said the major programs it will support over the next four years include South Australia's Housing Roadmap, which involves expanding water and wastewater networks to support an estimated 50,000 new homes across the state. The forward pipeline also includes infrastructure delivery such as upgrades to the Morgan to Whyalla pipeline, described as South Australia's longest water pipeline at 358 kilometers.