• 2007-08 highlights
• Who we are
• Chief Executive's message
• 2007-08 at a glance
• Sustainability: Central to everything we do
• SKM at work
• SKM in the community
• Financial wrap-up
• Client satisfaction
• Buildings and Infrastructure
• Mining and Metals
• Power and Industry
• Water and Environment
• Corporate governance
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• Case Studies
• Dampier port upgrade
• Skilled Park
• Greater Gabbard wind farm

The diverse Water and Environment team provides services ranging from overseas aid projects and business system development, to environmental assessments, wastewater planning and water recycling.

Overall, the market is extremely busy. Demand for secure, fresh water supplies, a global catch-up on a lack of investment with population growth and movement, along with the rapid acceleration of environmental challenges, are all long term, sustainable market drivers.

The two largest projects during the year were a 125 megalitre per day desalination plant on Queensland's Gold Coast, which was almost completed during 2007-08, and the Sydney desalination plant, which was signed during the year. The Gold Coast project drew on the skills of 40 operations centres across SKM, indicating the depth and range of skills available to the clients.

The Sydney desalination plant, like its counterpart on the Gold Coast, is being undertaken with Veolia and John Holland. It is one of the largest seawater plants ever built, capable of producing 250 megalitres of water per day.

SKM sees alternative water supply schemes, such as these desalination plants, as part of the solution to critical water shortage problems. We have adapted the technology and added scientific rigour to improve efficiency and sustainability.

There has been noticeable demand for our knowledge in responding and adapting to climate change, from both the public and private sectors. Understanding the impacts in the months, years and decades to come allows organisations 
to better adapt and plan. One example of our work in this area is a study on climate change impact on Australia's coal industry.

Highlights during the year include:

• A study to investigate sustainable solutions for improved traffic flows around San Diego International Airport aimed at reducing potential environmental and social impacts, conducted with our United States-based global alliance partner Malcolm Pirnie Inc., with whom we won a number of significant projects during the year.
• Winning our third contract for tsunami relief work in Aceh as part of our overseas aid work, which includes education projects funded by AusAID in the Southern Philippines and coastal wetland rehabilitation work in Vietnam.
• Signing a contract with the New Zealand Defence Force to provide KiwImage - the largest spatial data deal in New Zealand history.

The long term outlook remains positive. The fundamentals of good water and environmental management are urgent, and SKM is well placed to meet client needs through our exceptional staff, experience and growing global reach. However, economic conditions have made us more cautious, in the short term, although they present opportunities as well in areas such as strategic consulting for sustainable development, the energy and water interface, climate change and carbon trading.