$10 Million Project Brings Potable Water to Argentina

RWL Water has been awarded with the first-ever seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant in Puerto Deseado, Argentina. The new plant will provide drinking water for the entire city of Puerto Deseado, Santa Cruz, Argentina. Puerto Deseado City is located 1,200 miles south of Buenos Aires. The province is a popular tourist destination, attracting people from all over the world, known for its famous Perito Moreno glacier. The region is rich in mining and oil reserves but lacks a consistent and reliable potable water supply. Inhabitants of Puerto Deseado receive drinking water for only two hours every other day (less than 2,000 liters per week per family). In April 2014, the national authorities agreed to invest almost $10 million for the construction of a seawater desalination plant and the necessary infrastructure. Due to the complexity of this project, only a few experienced water treatment companies were invited to participate in the tender, which concluded Oct. 24, 2014. The tender resulted in a contract to RWL Water and partner CPC SA to supply a SWRO plant in Argentina, the first of its kind for this many inhabitants. This plant will supply water to a population of approximately 18,000 inhabitants and will have an output of 3,000 cu meters per day, with plans for potential future expansion. The design includes ultrafiltration membranes as pre-treatment, as well as an ultraviolet system to ensure excellent bacteriological quality, and the reverse osmosis system, which will consist of two sets of 120 membranes each. An energy recovery system will also be included to ensure the lowest possible electricity consumption due to the city’s current power shortage. The system will reduce the energy consumed by more than 40%.

Source: RWL Water