Seawater to Potable Water

Filtered water undergoes UV disinfection before being subjected to high-pressure pumps in a reverse osmosis system.

Background and Challenges

The city of Caleta Olivia, situated in one of the most arid regions of Argentina, relies primarily on the petroleum and fishing industries. The city faced a significant challenge in supplying enough municipally treated water to meet both residential and industrial demands. After evaluating various alternatives, the city decided to install a seawater desalination plant to increase its water availability.

Process Description

The treatment process starts with raw seawater, containing approximately 36,000 ppm TDS, being pumped by submersible pumps into a 1,300,000-gallon (5,000 m³) raw water storage tank. From there, the water is pumped through robust ultrafiltration membranes, which remove suspended solids to very low levels, and then it is stored in a filtered water tank. The filtered water undergoes UV disinfection before being subjected to high-pressure pumps in the reverse osmosis system, reducing its salinity to less than 1% of the original content. Finally, to mitigate the corrosive effects of the reverse osmosis permeate and to make it suitable for distribution throughout the city, the water is routed through a remineralization system to adjust the pH.

Results

The Caleta Olivia plant, only the second desalination project in Argentina, provides high-quality, sustainably sourced water to more than 80,000 residents and local businesses. The entire installed plant can supply over 19 million gallons per day (72,000 kL) of potable water.

This water treatment project has been transformative for city residents, who previously struggled with water availability concerns. The reliable water supply has spurred population growth and attracted new businesses to the area.

Contact our water experts and discover how Fluence's advanced desalination systems can help your community overcome water scarcity and ensure a reliable water supply.