commenced in March 2009. The plant is located on the eastern shore of Gulf St Vincent just north of ExxonMobil's disused Port Stanvac Oil Refinery. It lies within the industrial suburb of Lonsdale within the local government area of the City of Onkaparinga. The residential area just north of the plant lies within the suburb of Hallett Cove (part of the City of Marion). Funding, cost and capacity The plant was originally intended to be capable of producing 50 GL per year and projected to cost almost $1.4 billion. During late 2008 and early 2009, the South Australian Government was actively considering doubling the capacity to 100 GL/year at an incremental cost of around $450 million. It sought funding from the Australian Government for the full cost of this expansion. In May 2009 the Australian Government, under Prime Minister Rudd, announced a grant of $100 million to support the initial stage of the project under the National Urban Water and Desalination Plan. This announcement fulfilled Rudd's commitment during the 2007 election campaign. As part of this announcement, the Australian Government also committed a further $228 million for the expansion to 100 GL/year. The South Australian Government subsequently committed to the expansion in June 2009. The final capital cost of A$1.83 billion for the Adelaide Desalination Project included: The desalination plant and associated marine works A pumping station and 12 km transfer pipeline to take the desalinated water to the Happy Valley Reservoir Treatment Plant (treated water tanks) where it is blended with treated catchment rainwater and delivered into the SA Water distribution system SA Power Networks electricity supply sub-station Preliminary site works, land and other interconnection work with SA Water's existing facilities. Construction Timeline In February 2008, the State Government appointed SA Water as the lead agency responsible for the delivery of the project and also appointed a steering committee of chief executives of key agencies to provide strategic oversight and review of all key decisions prior to approval by the SA Water Board and or the Government and Parliament; this steering committee had an independent chair (Mr Kevin Osborn). In February 2008, the SA government approved an initial funding of $9.5M for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of a small Temporary Pilot Desalination Plant with a capacity of 100,000 litres per day. Construction of this temporary pilot plant commenced in June 2008 and was completed on 4 August