ISRAEL – A new desalination plant in Sorek, Israel, is set to begin operating, Israel National Water Company Mekorot recently announced. The new plant delivered 6 months ahead of schedule, will increase Israel’s desalination output from 1,643,835 m3/d to 2,191,780 m3/d. The construction, costing $171.88 million, was carried out among other things by the subsidiary of Mekorot, Shaham. The facility's connection to the country's water system was celebrated in a ceremony attended by Energy and Infrastructure Minister Israel Katz and other officials. Israel aims to double its water supply to Jordan from 100 to 200 million cubic meters by the end of 2023. (The Jerusalem Post)
U.S.A. – The Biden administration's clean hydrogen hub proposal in Corpus Christi, Texas, faces challenges due to water scarcity. The project requires significant amounts of water for hydrogen production, but Corpus Christi is experiencing a multi-year drought. To address this, local officials suggest building seawater desalination plants, but environmental groups and some residents oppose such sites. Research indicates that the Biden administration's vision of low-carbon hydrogen may be hindered by water scarcity, with nine of the 33 proposed hydrogen hub projects in highly water-stressed regions. The Corpus Christi hydrogen project, if approved, would likely necessitate seawater desalination. (Reuters)
CHILE – IDE Technologies has received the Notice to Proceed (NTP) for the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract of the SADDN Desalination Plant in northern Chile. The plant, located in the Tocopilla area, will have a design capacity of 73,000 m3/day and is part of the SADDN project providing desalinated water to three mines of CODELCO’s Northern District. The project aims to reduce water consumption from traditional inland sources by 60% by 2030. Developed by a consortium of Marubeni and Transelec, the SADDN project includes intake and outfall systems, a 160 km pipeline, and three pumping stations. (Businesswire)
BAHRAIN – The Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) of Bahrain has invited bids for a $52.7 million tender to upgrade the Ras Abu Jarjour reverse osmosis desalination plant in Askar. The plant, located on the southeastern coast of Bahrain, currently produces 74,101 m3/d. The upgrade project aims to extend the life span of the plant by another 20 years. The Ras Abu Jarjour RO plant, opened in 1984, will undergo improvements in electromechanical works, replacement of high-pressure pumps, membrane replacement in RO units, civil structure upgrades, and deployment of the latest technologies compatible with environmental requirements. Tender documents will soon be available online for international companies to submit their bids.
The Ras Abu Jarjour desalination plant in Askar, Bahrain. Credit: Abrar Habib
PAKISTAN – A 5,455 m3/d seawater desalination plant in Gwadar, Pakistan, has been completed on schedule to provide clean water to residents. The formal inauguration is planned to be carried out by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif during his anticipated visit to Gwadar after Eid Holidays. The project, funded with a grant of $12 million from China, was a collaboration between the Gwadar Port Authority (GPA), National Engineering Services Pakistan, and China Harbor Engineering Company (CHEC). The plant, covering approximately one acre of land, will contribute to meeting the water demand of Gwadar city and port. The project includes a 1-kilometer water supply line connecting the plant to Gwadar city's main water supply network. (Pakistan Observer)
SAUDI ARABIA – ENGIE, a global low-carbon energy company, has achieved a safety milestone of fifteen million working hours without any Lost-Time Accident (LTA) at the Yanbu 4 Independent Water Project (IWP) in Saudi Arabia. The Yanbu 4 IWP is a 450,000 m3/day desalination facility and the first reverse osmosis plant powered by solar energy in the country. The Yanbu 4 IWP, with a construction cost of $891 million, will supply potable water to Makkah and Madinah and is scheduled to be operational by the end of the year. (ZAWYA)