Antarctica – October 18, 2021 – Gradiant’s CRS Water has been awarded the contract for the design and supply of Reserve Osmosis (RO) desalination plants for the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD). This will be the first project for Gradiant in Antarctica as Gradiant continues to expand globally.

The AAD is part of the Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment based in Hobart, Tasmania. Established in 1957, the Davis station is one of the three year-round research stations (Casey, Davis, and Mawson) responsible for delivering the Australian Antarctic Program in accordance with government priorities.

In cooperation with their parent company Gradiant Corporation, CRS will supply dual custom-designed seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plants to provide access to a reliable and safe supply of potable water. The team’s vast technical expertise in reverse osmosis and energy recovery will ensure the technology solution provided is reliable, robust and capable of operating in extreme conditions.

The contract involves the delivery of reverse osmosis desalination plants as duty/standby systems that will produce a minimum of 100kL/day each of treated water in line with Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG). Key design considerations of the new desalination plants are feed water algae levels and the occurrence of harmful algal blooms, seasonal variations in water quality and temperature, and corrosion resistance in extreme feedwater and environmental conditions. The incorporated design features will prove critical for operation in the Antarctic environment, and the configuration as a modular design will allow an efficient and simple onsite installation.

Founder and Managing Director of CRS Water, Bill Kelly stated “CRS and Gradiant are excited to be granted the opportunity to design and construct this water treatment plant for the Australian Antarctic Division which will complete an enviable record of the delivery of water treatment plants on all seven continents. We look forward to the opportunity to work with the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment and to provide support to the Australian expeditioners based at the Davis Station as they continue to operate and conduct research.”

CRS Water’s remote monitoring capabilities and support will allow for ongoing assistance, reducing risks and increasing plant reliability and optimisation.

Gradiant’s Vice President of Sales- Australia Division, Sadasivam Krishnan also noted, “This AAD project reinforces Gradiant’s ability to deliver complex high-profile projects in remote locations on time and on budget. AAD required a high level of HSE compliance with extreme emphasis on reliability for both the design and execution phases. This project follows our prior experience in successfully delivering similar complex water treatment projects in the Artic Siberia for a Global O&G customer.”