KBR Inc. has secured a new four-year contract with South Australian Water Corp. (SA Water) to support the utility’s capital delivery program, one of the South Australian Government’s most significant infrastructure programs.
The contract was awarded through a competitive tender and builds on KBR’s 15-year partnership with SA Water, extending the relationship through 2030. It covers support for a period in which SA Water plans approximately A$3.3 billion in water infrastructure projects over four years, described as its largest-ever period of investment.
Scope of support
Under the agreement, KBR will support delivery of critical water and wastewater infrastructure services for SA Water’s 1.8 million customers across South Australia. The work spans dam upgrades, water tank refurbishments, bulk water transfer infrastructure, water main replacements, sewer network upgrades, and water and wastewater treatment plant upgrades.
Margaret Riley, director of water at KBR, said the appointment reinforces the company’s position as a trusted partner in the water sector. She said KBR was proud to have again been selected by SA Water to continue supporting the capital delivery program.
Riley said that over the past 15 years KBR had worked alongside SA Water to design, deliver and project manage some of the most critical water infrastructure projects. She described the contract as a demonstration of the team’s experience, technical capability and focus on safety, innovation and service excellence. KBR looked forward to working closely with SA Water to deliver lasting benefits for customers, communities and the broader South Australian economy, she said.
Recent delivery and pipeline
The capital delivery team has managed more than 2,000 individual projects over the past year. These 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.
Over the next four years, major programs supported by KBR are expected to 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 pipeline also includes infrastructure delivery such as upgrades to the Morgan to Whyalla pipeline, which at 358 kilometers is South Australia’s longest water pipeline.
The contract keeps KBR in a delivery role as SA Water moves through a large capital program. The cited projects indicate that the work will cover both new and upgraded assets, from transmission pipelines and treatment plants to local water and sewer networks. The listed categories cover a mix of asset replacement, refurbishment and treatment plant upgrades, reflecting the breadth of the capital program described by SA Water. The four-year term aligns the company’s support with SA Water’s investment period through 2030.