PROJECT TIMELINE
The key events to date and ongoing timeline for the Victorian Desalination Project are as follows:
| Late 2006 | Desalination plant feasibility study commences |
| 19 June 2007 | Construction of desalination plant announced as part of the next stage of the Government’s Water Plan. |
| 30 November 2007 | Environment Effects Statement (EES) referral submitted by Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) |
| 28 December 2007 | Planning Minister announced EES to be undertaken |
| 7 February 2008 | Commonwealth Government accredits EES process assessment under Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) |
| 19 March 2008 | Public comment on Draft EES Scoping Requirements |
| 4 May 2008 | Final EES Scoping Requirements released |
| 4 June 2008 | Issued Invitation for Expressions of Interest to bid for project issued |
| 24 July 2008 | Expressions of Interest closed |
| 20 August 2008 | EES report and Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Works Approval Application (WAA) submitted and exhibited for public comment |
| 30 September 2008 | EES and WAA public exhibition closed |
| 30 September 2008 | Issued Requests for Proposals for construction and operation to two shortlisted bidders |
| October/November 2008 | EES Inquiry |
| 4 December 2008 | EES Inquiry submitted report to Planning Minister |
| 9 January 2009 | EES Assessment by Planning Minister announced |
| 3 March 2009 | EPA Works Approval Application approved |
| 20 March 2009 | Federal Minister for Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts approves project under EPBC Act |
| 27 March 2009 | Request for Proposal closes |
| 30 July 2009 | Award contract |
| 2 September 2009 | Financial close |
| 30 September 2009 | Construction starts |
| 30 June 2012 | Commissioning completed (Date for RT Finalisation) |
| 2 October 2039 | End of Project Term |