October 2026
Certification through ASI's Steel Sustainability Australia (SSA) scheme is playing a key role in ASI member Steel Main’s construction of Perth’s largest-diameter water pipeline.
WA’s state-owned water utility Water Corporation is using 1.6-metre diameter steel pipe manufactured by Steel Mains for its 33.5-kilometre underground pipeline connecting the $2.8 billion Alkimos Seawater Desalination Plant on Perth’s coast to the Wanneroo Reservoir in the city’s northern suburbs.
Produced at Steel Mains’s Kwinana workshop, each 12-metre pipe section weighs nine tonnes and has a 120-year design. Pipeline construction is now 57% complete.
Steel Mains environment and sustainability lead Ben Twigg says SSA certification was a key factor in the company winning the tender for the pipeline project.
“It provided credits towards the Infrastructure Sustainability Council (ISC) ratings that were required to tender,” Ben said.
Ben says the ability to tender for – and win - ISC and Green Star-Rated projects is just one of the many benefits of SSA certification.
“With the reporting required for SSA level 3, we have enhanced our data collection and goal setting for sustainable business outcomes.
“We now minimise town water usage wherever possible, storing and recirculating any water to be reused within our processes. We also recycle and reuse all three of our main raw materials; steel, cement and polyethene. To enhance our ESG disclosures, we have published an annual business ESG report since 2024.”
Ben has been working with Steel Mains for eight years, four as the environment and sustainability lead.
His role is to manage both the environmental impact of its operations, as well as lead its efforts towards emissions reductions. This includes zero-waste aspirations, energy management and supplier engagement. Details: https://www.steel.org.au/industry-directory/steel-mains/