Water. desalination + reuse

PROJECTS PROJECTPROGRESS GROundbREakinG fOR fuJaiRah 1 iWPP in uaE The US$ 200 million expansion project for the Furjairah 1 Independent Water and Power Plant (IWPP) in the UAE broke ground on 30 June 2013. The Sembcorp Industries project will increase the plant's seawater reverse-osmosis (RO) desalination capacity by 30 MIGD (136,000 m3/d). The expansion, expected to be completed in the first half of 2015, will enhance Sembcorp's total seawater desalination capacity in the UAE from 100 MIGD (455,000 m3/d) to 130 MIGD (591,000 m3/d), of which 67.5 MIGD (307,000 m3/d) will be produced using RO. The remaining 62.5 MiGD (284,000 m3/d) is produced using multi-stage flash technology. This combined RO desalination capacity will make the Fujairah 1 IWPP the largest RO desalination facility in the Middle East. The 30 MIGD water output from the expansion will be sold to the Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Company (ADWEC) under a 20-year water purchase agreement, signed in January 2013. This is in addition to the existing 22-year power and water purchase agreement with ADWEC for the plant's current water and electricity output. Tang Kin Fei, group president & CEO of Sembcorp, said, "Our plant, strategically located in Fujairah, will enable us to produce desalinated water more economically for our customer. The expansion project also enables the use of uncontracted surplus power from the existing plant, hence allowing excess generation capacity to be gainfully utilised to produce the additional water at a competitive cost and enhance our income at the same time." COnSOlidaTEd ExPECTS mORE dESalinaTiOn in mExiCO and bali Desalination supplier Consolidated Water Co, based in the Cayman Islands, says that its Rosarito project in Mexico has presented an opportunity for two other potential Mexican projects similar in size to its larger Caribbean operations. "We continue to move forward on our Rosarito desalination plant and pipeline project in northern Baja California, Mexico," reported Rick McTaggart, CEO, in the company's second quarter results on 9 August 2013. "In May, we made a downpayment and took title to most of the land required for the project, and we made a second scheduled payment on the purchase option agreement for the other parcel of land needed for the project." "During the second quarter, our pilot plant, which is situated on the proposed feedwater source for the project, continued to provide excellent data that will be used to design the plant and was a focal point for various tours by government officials from both sides of the international border," McTaggart added "I am also pleased to report that our development activities in connection with the Rosarito initiative have presented us with the opportunity to pursue two other potential projects in Mexico, projects of a size consistent with some of our larger Caribbean-based operations," he said. McTaggart also suggested that the Indonesian island of Bali could evolve into a sizeable market once the local population and officials are exposed to the high quality of water that can be produced using seawater reverse osmosis technology. SanTa CRuz OffiCialS baCk Off dESalinaTiOn PROJECT As a result of public comment on the draft environmental impact report (EIR) on the proposed Santa Cruz seawater desalination project in California, city officials have pushed back possible dates for its implementation. Santa Cruz mayor, Hilary Bryant, and city manager, Martín Bernal, said in a joint statement on 20 August 2013, "The Santa Cruz community is not ready for desalination at this time, and we need a reset in the ongoing conversation on water supply and desalination issues." Bernal recommended a four-point plan to the city council: l l l l A vote on desalination should not be pursued by the city in 2014 In order to complete the significant public investment made to date in the draft EIR, to respond to comments by community members offered on the draft EIR and to inform future discussions about the city's water supply, the EIR will be completed Bernal will ask the Water Department to bring forward a plan to engage the community in becoming a top water conservation city in California. Bernal will bring forward a community-involvement plan to the council to look further into the key areas of interest that have developed and to craft a clear vision for the future of Santa Cruz's water supply. PERTh GROundWaTER REPlEniShmEnT PROJECT GETS GO-ahEad The Western Australia state government announced on 1 August 2013 that it was adopting groundwater replenishment with reused municipal and industrial wastewater to help secure Perth's water supplies. State water minister Terry Redman said that a landmark trial by Water Corporation over three years had to comply with 254 health guidelines and had been a resounding success. The minister said the groundwater recycling initiative would initially supply 7 million m3 of water every year. It was less expensive than a desalination plant – Perth already has two large seawater desalination plants - and used about half the energy. Water Corporation says that the initial stage of Australia's first full-scale groundwater replenishment scheme will begin recharging by 2016. The scheme can ultimately deliver around 28 million m3/year, and be staged to meet population growth and water supply needs. It is currently due for completion in 2022. August-September 2013 | Desalination & Water Reuse | 21 |

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