KBR Inc. has been awarded a new four-year contract by 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 Houston, Texas-based company said the work was secured through a competitive tender and extends a partnership with the Adelaide utility that has run for 15 years, carrying the relationship through 2030.
The contract coincides with the largest investment period in SA Water's history, with approximately A$3.3 billion of water infrastructure projects planned over the four years. KBR will support delivery of critical water and wastewater infrastructure for the utility's 1.8 million customers across South Australia, with the scope covering assets ranging from dams and storage tanks to pipelines and treatment plants.
Scope of the assignment
- Dam upgrades and water tank refurbishments
- Bulk water transfer infrastructure
- Water main replacements and sewer network upgrades
- Upgrades to water and wastewater treatment plants
Margaret Riley, KBR's director of water, said the appointment reinforces the company's position as a trusted partner in the water sector. She said KBR had worked alongside SA Water over the past 15 years to design, deliver and project manage some of the most critical water infrastructure projects, and described the new contract as a demonstration of the team's experience, technical capability and focus on safety, innovation and service excellence. Riley added that the company looked forward to working closely with SA Water to deliver lasting benefits for customers, communities and the broader South Australian economy.
Recent delivery record
Over the past year, KBR's capital delivery team has managed more than 2,000 individual projects. These include 69 kilometers of new water mains, a major upgrade of the 132-kilometer Tailem Bend to Keith pipeline, and a desalination plant serving the outback town of Marree.
Work planned ahead
Programs supported by KBR over the next four years include South Australia's Housing Roadmap, under which water and wastewater networks will be expanded to support an estimated 50,000 new homes across the state, as well as infrastructure delivery such as upgrades to the Morgan to Whyalla pipeline — at 358 kilometers, South Australia's longest water pipeline.
The agreement keeps KBR in a role that spans design, delivery and project management across a portfolio of treatment plants, pipelines and storage assets rather than a single facility or one-off construction job. For the utility, the four-year term provides continuity through a capital program it describes as its largest ever; for KBR, it locks in a relationship that began 15 years ago and now runs to 2030.
The announcement did not specify the value of the contract itself; the A$3.3 billion figure refers to SA Water's planned infrastructure investment over the four-year period rather than to the value of KBR's award.