PROJECTS
November-December 2014 | Desalination & Water Reuse | 27 |
PROJECTPROGRESS
DElayED US bRaCkiSh DESalinaTiOn nEaRS
COmPlETiOn
Construction of a long-awaited US$ 45 million brackish water
reverse-osmosis plant at the US city of Tarpon Springs, Florida is
close to completion a few weeks behind schedule.
The proposed plant, located north of the Anclote River, will
desalinate brackish water from local wells. The city has secured a
dozen well sites and a total of 22 wells have been approved for
the project.
Since the plant was voted through in a 2006 referendum,
legal and other delays have intervened. Florida's Department of
Environmental Protection granted the city of Tarpon Springs a
permit in January 2011 and construction began last year.
Until now, Tarpon Springs has relied on external water supplies
but has long sought independence. The current combination of
city-owned fresh groundwater treatment facilities and purchases
from Pinellas County provide about 16 Ml/d to Tarpon Springs.
The water treatment plant will replace the water purchased from
the county and will raise production to about 25 Ml/d.
Of the US$ 45 million budget, US$ 20.1 million will come as a
grant from Southwest Florida Water Management District.
According to utilities superintendent, Raymond Page, key
operating staff positions will be hired by early fiscal year 2015,
which began on 1 October 2014, and full staff will be needed in
the early months of calendar year 2015.
CaRlSbaD COUlD bE REaDy ahEaD Of SChEDUlE
The US$1 billion Carlsbad seawater desalination plant under
construction in California is 65% complete and could be in
operation earlier than its planned 2016 start, according to its
developer Poseidon Water.
"Our contractors and our host communities of Carlsbad, San
Marcos and Vista have set a new standard for cooperation and
efficiency, and that has allowed us to make fantastic progress
during nearly two years of construction," said vice president of
Poseidon Water, Peter MacLaggan.
The plant is expected to meet about 7% of the San Diego
County's demand.
