The two big tanks designed to contain the PFAS cleaned water have just gone out for tender.

While many hoped the plant, capable of supplying safe drinking water for all of Katherine's residents, would be ready by the end of the year, it is now hoped it will be in place before the end of the next dry season.

The tender for the two giant tanks is to be granted at the end of January.

Water will be scrubbed of PFAS by an American invention which is already in use at the emergency plant from contaminated bores and river supplies.

The Defence Department is paying for the plant, as the contamination is coming from the Tindal RAAF Base, and the town's residents remain on water restrictions awaiting the delayed arrival of the wet season.

More reading:

Katherine's PFAS timeline.

Power and Water in the NT is contracting for the construction of the plant and have advertised the tender for the plants this week.

"Works include the design, supply and installation of tanks, tank concrete foundations, roof, fittings and access stairs/platform."

Katherine's new water treatment plant will be the first utility-scale plant of its kind using ion-exchange technology to treat a public water supply.

It will replace a smaller scale plant also constructed in the US, which only treats a small portion of the town's water supply today, hence the restrictions.

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