What Guidera O'Connor does

Guidera O'Connor is a privately held, 100% Australian-owned water infrastructure design-and-construct contractor founded in 2001 and headquartered in Thebarton, South Australia. The company specialises in the end-to-end delivery of water and wastewater treatment plants, pumping stations, chemical dosing systems, filtration, UV disinfection, odour control, desalination (using Reverse Osmosis and Electrodialysis Reversal), aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) schemes, and water reuse systems. A defining technical feature is its large in-house design team using Building Information Modeling (BIM) to produce 3D and Virtual Reality models that allow clients to virtually operate plants before construction begins. The company holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 certifications and Australian Government WHS accreditation.

Guidera O'Connor serves a predominantly government client base across all Australian states and territories, including major water utilities (SA Water, Water Corporation, Sydney Water, SEQWater, Hunter Water, Icon Water, Logan Water, Lower Murray Water, Central Highlands Water), local councils, the Department of Defence, and select private asset owners and head contractors (notably John Holland as a JV partner). Projects are secured through competitive tendering, framework agreements, panel arrangements, Early Contractor Involvement (ECI), alliancing, target-cost contracts, and joint ventures. The business operates from offices in South Australia, Western Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland, employing over 200 staff.

Revenue is generated on a project-by-project, fixed-price and framework basis, with disclosed individual contract values reaching AUD 45 million (SA Water Water Treatment Framework) and AUD 70 million (Greater Western Water Melton recycled water plant, supporting AWS data centre cooling). The company is led by CEO Richard Trapp (appointed 2020) with founders Tony Guidera and Mick O'Connor active in Non-Executive Director and Chairman roles, respectively, on an experienced board. No external private equity, venture capital, or institutional investor involvement is indicated.

Name

Guidera O'Connor

Legal name

Guidera O'Connor

Website

https://goc.net.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Guidera O'Connor is a privately owned Australian design-and-construct contractor delivering water and wastewater treatment plants, pumping stations, desalination, ASR, and reuse infrastructure primarily for government water utilities and local councils across all Australian states, using in-house BIM and Virtual Reality design.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Infrastructure Construction

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)

SIC

Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623), Pumps & Pumping Equipment (3561)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Treatment Plant Construction (Drinking Water) (IMAFAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Reuse & Reclamation Infrastructure Construction (Recycled Water Systems) (IMAFAGAH), Stormwater & Drainage Infrastructure Construction (Sewer, Detention, Outfalls) (IMAFAGAF), SCADA, Instrumentation & Controls Integration for Water/Wastewater Projects (IMAFAGAK)

Keywords

• Water treatment infrastructure
• Wastewater treatment plants
• Pumping station construction
• Desalination plant design
• Water reuse schemes

Headquarters

HQ city

Thebarton

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Design and Construct Contracts: GO designs, constructs, and commissions water treatment plants, pumping stations, chemical dosing systems, filtration, odour control, desalination plants, aquifer storage and recovery, and reuse systems for water authorities, local government, mining companies, and private asset owners. Revenue is project-based, derived from fixed-price contracts, ECI arrangements, alliancing models, target cost contracts, and joint ventures.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Guidera O'Connor is a design and construct contractor that delivers water and wastewater infrastructure for government water utilities, local councils, mining and resources companies, and private asset owners across Australia. The company designs, builds, and commissions water treatment plants, desalination plants, wastewater treatment plants, pumping stations, chemical dosing systems, UV disinfection facilities, aquifer storage and recovery schemes, and water reuse systems, primarily under multi-year framework agreements, ECI, alliancing, target cost, and joint venture arrangements.

Product overview

Guidera O'Connor (GO) is a water infrastructure design and construction company offering an integrated suite of solutions for the Australian water industry. The core portfolio spans water treatment plants, desalination plants (using RO and EDR technologies), wastewater treatment facilities, pumping stations, chemical dosing systems, UV disinfection facilities, aquifer storage and recovery schemes, and reuse systems. GO delivers projects through structured programs such as the Water South Framework and Metro Water Treatment Framework, often via Joint Ventures (e.g., with John Holland) and collaborative delivery models including ECI, Alliancing, and Target Cost arrangements. The company also provides energy recovery facilities and odour control systems as specialized add-on capabilities to their treatment plant offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Treatment Plants
• Desalination Plants
• Wastewater Treatment Plants
• Pumping Stations
• Chemical Dosing Systems
• UV Disinfection Facilities
• Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Schemes
• Reuse Schemes
• Energy Recovery Facilities Biogas treatment and combined heat and power (CHP) systems that capture waste gases from anaerobic digesters to generate electricity for treatment plant operations, reducing energy use and environmental impact.
• Odour Control Systems Facilities designed to reduce and control emissions from wastewater treatment processes, integrated with wastewater treatment plant construction.
• Water South Framework A four-year program of work for the design and construction of upgrades to SA Water's treatment plants and infrastructure throughout South Australia, delivered through a 50/50 Joint Venture with John Holland.
• Metro Water Treatment Framework A four-year program of work delivering water treatment plant upgrades throughout metropolitan Adelaide for SA Water.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 400 water projects delivered Australia-wide since 2001
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Greater Western Water (GWW)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026GWW has announced that its recycled water plant in Melton, western Melbourne will become the first facility in Victoria to supply Amazon Web Services' data centre with recycled water for cooling. GO (Guidera O'Connor) is the contractor preparing a AUD 70 million expansion of the Melton plant. This partnership supports GWW's planning for water needs of data centres as the region grows and climate dries.
• John HollandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner50/50 Joint Venture for SA Water Water South Framework - a four-year program of water treatment plant and infrastructure upgrades throughout South Australia. Also collaborated on Sundrop Farms hydroponic farm water treatment infrastructure project.
• Leed ValorizamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGO constructed the Northern Adelaide Irrigation Scheme Tertiary Treatment plant including media filtration and UV disinfection providing treated wastewater for agricultural reuse.
• Citygreen JVmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGO was a partner in the Citygreen JV to provide tertiary treated wastewater from the Glenelg WWTP and distribute it throughout the Parklands surrounding Adelaide's CBD.
• GOLD JV (GO and Leed)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGO and Leed formed GOLD JV to design and construct a 12.5 MLD WWTP at Bird in Hand including inlet works, digester, sludge handling, reactors, clarifiers, tertiary treatment and reuse system.
• UniSA STEM Professional Practice ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGO supports the UniSA STEM Professional Practice Program providing annual grants to Second, Third and Fourth year students.
• Adelaide University Women in STEMminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGO is active in the Adelaide University Women in STEM program supporting female participation in engineering careers.
• Career TrackersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough Career Trackers, GO provides internships for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander university students.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• John Holland: Major Australian Tier-1 infrastructure contractor and GO's 50/50 JV partner on the SA Water Water South Framework. Competes with GO on large water and civil infrastructure tenders, but operates across a far broader transport, energy and water portfolio.
• CPB Contractors (CIMIC Group): Tier-1 contractor within CIMIC Group delivering large-scale water infrastructure projects across Australia. Direct competitor for major utility frameworks that GO also targets, with greater scale and balance-sheet capacity.
• Downer EDI: ASX-listed infrastructure services group with an Australian water and wastewater treatment, pumping and network maintenance business. Competes with GO on utility and council water infrastructure work across multiple states.
• UGL (CIMIC Group): CIMIC-owned engineering and asset services provider with water, pumping and treatment infrastructure capability. Overlaps directly with GO's pumping station and treatment plant delivery offerings for utility clients.
• Fulton Hogan: Large Australasian infrastructure contractor with growing water and utilities capability. Competes with GO on council and utility water, stormwater and pumping projects, with a broader civil and road-building base.
• Lendlease Engineering: Engineering arm of Lendlease Group, active in Australian water and large infrastructure projects. Competes for tier-1 water tenders that GO targets, while operating across a much wider real estate and construction portfolio.

Direct peers

• Seymour Whyte (VINCI Construction): Mid-sized Australian civil infrastructure contractor (now part of VINCI) with water and wastewater treatment experience. Closely comparable to GO in scale, design-and-construct model and utility client focus.
• Leed Engineering (Leed Group): Australian water and wastewater treatment specialist that partners with GO on the GOLD JV and Northern Adelaide Irrigation Scheme. A direct peer in scale, capability and target customers.
• BMD Group: Privately held Australian civil infrastructure contractor with a water and utilities business unit. Similar in ownership structure and mid-tier scale to GO, competing on council and utility water infrastructure tenders.
• Aquatec Pty Ltd: Australian water and wastewater treatment specialist contractor. Overlaps with GO on treatment plant construction, pumping and reuse projects for utility and industrial clients, with a similar mid-sized specialist profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/guidera-o-connor

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Guidera O'Connor