New Mexico, Brackish Water, Groundwater, Tunisia
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Desalination booming in Tunisia
Desalination in Tunisia took a major step forward in July with the award of the 50,000 m³/d Djerba seawater desalination contract to a consortium including Befesa of Spain, announced on 14 July 2010, and the launch of a tender for the supply of ten brackish-water desalination plants at the end of the month.
Alamagordo completes first stage of RO project
The City of Alamagordo in New Mexico, USA, announced on 26 March 2013 that it had completed Phase 1 of its Westside Infrastructure Improvements Project, which will eventually include a 6 MGD (22,700 m³/d) desalination plant.

EDR researcher wins 2013 Channabasappa Scholarship
The International Desalination Association has awarded its 2013 Channabasappa Scholarship to Leila Karimi, a PhD candidate at the Institute for Energy & the Environment, Chemical Engineering Department, New Mexico State University (NMSU).
New Mexico BWRO seeking waste revenue stream
Processing residual wastes from a proposed brackish-groundwater desalination plant in New Mexico, USA, could provide a revenue of around US$ 4.6 million/year, according to a preliminary engineer report just completed.
New Mexico city seeking 4 MGD desalination plant
The city of Alamogordo, New Mexico, USA, is looking to use a 4 MGD (15,000 m³/d) desalination plant to provide a safe dependable supply from brackish water wells.
Almogordo mobile desalination project in train
A mobile desalination facility to treat 4,000 acre-ft per year (af/y) (4.9 million m³/y) near Almogordo, New Mexico, moved closer to realisation when the City Commission approved an approach for a US$ 2.7 million loan/grant from the New Mexico Finance Authority on 1 November 2012.
KfW signs Djerba desalination loan agreement in Tunisia
Tunisia's Société Nationale d'Exploitation et de Distribution des Eaux (SONEDE) signed an agreement on 22 August 2013 with the German development bank KfW for a loan of around € 60 million for the Djerba seawater desalination plant.
Texas treatment company spins off frac water firm
A company called Green Hydro LLC has been spun off by Texas-based Advanced Hydro Inc to use desalination to address increasing demand for water use in hydraulic fracturing.
Tunisia poised to tender for Sfax desalination plant
Tunisia's national water company, Sonede, is poised to launch a tender for the construction of its 150,000 m³/day desalination plant at the coastal city, Sfax in May 2015.
Tunisia desalination project completes feasibility check
Tunisia's National Water Company has completed a feasibility study for a seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant to be located at Zaarat, in the south east of the country. The plant will be constructed in two 50,000 m³/d phases.
Korean-led venture strikes Tunisian desalination plant deal
South Korean-owned, water treatment company GS Inima Environment has secured a €69.4 million ($93.9 million) deal to build a desalination plant in Tunisia.
Tunisia and Malta to share desalination expertise
Tunisia has signed an agreement with the Mediterranean island of Malta involving sharing of expertise on desalination plants.
Three desalination plants for south Tunisia in 2011
The Tunisian government announced on 30 August 2010 that Société Nationale d'Exploitation et de Distribution des Eaux (SONEDE), the national water agency, had developed a plan for the creation in 2011 of three water desalination plants in the Gabes region at a total cost of more than TND 14 million (US$ 9.4 million).
Bank agrees desalination study funding in Tunisia
A study of seawater desalination at Zarat, Tunisia, was one of nine projects and programs given grants by the African Development Bank (AfDB) in agreements signed with the Tunisian government on 12 March 2010.
Tenders soon for Tunisian desalination plants
International tenders were due to be invited in October 2008 by the Tunisian water company Sonede for the remaining 11 of 14 desalination plants to be built as part of a national program to improve water supply in southern Tunisia.
Brackish desalination studied for Oklahoma aquifer
The Central Oklahoma Water Resources Authority (COWRA) in the USA is currently working with local company Guernsey Engineering and California's Separation Processes Inc to do a feasibility study and pilot project to use brackish water from the Garber Wellington aquifer which underlies 3,000 sq miles (7,700 km²) of central Oklahoma.
Land commission looking at Texas desalination
The Texas General Land Commission (GLO) has contracted two consulting firms to investigate the possibility of brackish-water desalination north of New Braunfels.
NWC report boosts Australian brackish desalination
Brackish groundwater desalination can be considered a viable community water supply option in some areas, says a report just announced by Australia's National Water Commission (NWC).
Grant for Texas pilot wind-powered desalination plant
The Texas Department of Rural Affairs (TDRA) has made a US$ 2.75 million grant to Mitchell County, Texas, towards a US$ 8 million pilot project to use wind power for a brackish-water desalination project.

Further funding for San Antonio BWRO desalination project
Initial project construction for the brackish groundwater desalination program planned by San Antonio Water System (SAWS) in the USA will now be possible following a US$ 24.6 million loan from the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB).
Parsons lands SAWS brackish water desalination job
Parsons Corporation is leading a joint venture to serve as the construction manager at risk for the San Antonio groundwater desalination program in Texas, USA.
Another TWDB loan for SAWS desalination project
The Texas Water Development Board has given a US$ 50 million loan to the San Antonio Water System (SAWS) towards its first-ever groundwater desalination plant in southern Bexar County.
Drilling starts for SAWS brackish-water desalination
San Antonio Water System (SAWS) in Texas, USA, launched work on its 25 MGD (95,000 m³/d) brackish-water desalination system on 27 March 2012.
Texas Desalination Association plans September conference
The Texas Desalination Association is hosting its second annual conference Texas Desal 2014: Best Practices and Emerging Technology on 11-12 September 2014 in Austin, Texas.

RO desalination plant completed in Lake Worth
A 4.5 MGD (17,000 m³/d) reverse-osmosis drinking-water plant for Lake Worth, Florida, USA, began a month of testing in late July following completion earlier in the month.
Reclamation grant for Sweetwater desalination expansion
The US Bureau of Reclamation is to provide the Sweetwater Authority in California with a US$ 1.5 million grant towards the expansion of the Richard A Reynolds desalination plant.

Finance agreed for Camarillo regional desalter studies
Two water districts and two - possibly three - cities in southern California have agree to finance studies for a regional brackish-water desalination plant to be located near Camarillo.
South Africa to focus on desalination and water reuse
Desalination and the reuse of wastewater from municipalities and mining are strongly emphasised in the 2nd National Water Resources Strategy (NWRS2) for South Africa released at the start of July 2013.
Florida company to build Clearwater RO desalination plant
Poole & Kent Company of Florida has been awarded a contract to install a reverse‑osmosis desalination plant in Clearwater, Florida.
Texas state funding wind-powered desalination pilots
The Texas Department of Rural Affairs (TDRA) is offering US$ 1.5 million to smaller local governments in the US state for brackish-water desalination demonstration projects using wind energy. Deadline for applications for the 2010 Desalination Fund is 29 January 2010.
June start for Clearwater RO plant in Florida
Construction is due to start in June 2013 on the second reverse-osmosis water treatment plant for City of Clearwater, Florida, following a groundbreaking ceremony on 6 May 2013.
South Australian town to get new desalination plant
South Australia's water minister, Ian Hunter, announced on 1 May 2013 that a brackish-water desalination plant to deliver improved water quality to the town of Hawker, in the Flinders Ranges 100km north of Port Augusta, had been approved for construction.
STW opens up Texas brackish source project
Water management firm, STW Water Process and Technologies, has started to develop a newly acquired brackish water lease in the Imperial, Texas area. The move is part of STW's West Texas Water Project to discover new brackish water sources.
Napolitano seeks to reauthorize US desalination act
A bill, HR 745, to reauthorize the 1996 Water Desalination Act was introduced in the US House of Representatives by California representative Grace Napolitano on 15 February 2013.
New COO and business lines for STW Resources
US water services provider STW Resource Holding Corp announced a new chief operating officer (COO) on 25 October 2012 and expanded business lines, including large-scale desalination and oil/gas water reclamation.
California city ponders desalination revival
California's city of Morro Bay is poised to apply to the state Coastal Commission to operate continually its currently idle reverse osmosis desalination plant. The city let its operating permit expire in 2000, and the plant - built in 1992 - has not operated since then except for occasional emergency use.
Delayed Tarpon Springs reverse osmosis plant 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.
Planned Texas inland desalination plant will be USA's biggest
San Antonio Water System (SAWS) is constructing what will become the largest inland desalination plant in the USA. The plant will desalinate groundwater from the Wilcox Aquifer in southern Bexar County, Texas.

US bill seeks major desalination research expansion
US Senate hearings began on 10 March 2009 into a bill on the relationship between energy and water which could have wide implications for desalination research, both in the US and internationally.
Veolia supplies RO desalination to Mauritania mine
A 1,500 m³/d reverse-osmosis (RO) brackish-water desalination plant has been supplied to a mine in Mauritania by Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies South Africa, with a heat-exchanger to cool the water.
Desalination featured on redesigned SAWS website
San Antonio Water System (SAWS) has featured its brackish-water reverse-osmosis desalination project as one of the headlines on its newly redesigned website.
Fluor to build Dow's RO membrane factory in Saudi Arabia
Fluor Corporation has been awarded a contract by the Dow Chemical Company to build Dow's reverse osmosis (RO) membrane manufacturing facility in Jubail Industrial City II in Saudi Arabia.
Biwater Florida RO project has manipulated ER unit
Acceptance testing has been successfully completed for a I.5 MGD (5,680 m³/d) reverse osmosis (RO) system being built by Biwater at the Springtree Water Treatment Plant in Sunrise, Florida, USA.
Papers invited for 2013 AWWA/AMTA event
With the 2012 AWWA/AMTA Membrane Technology Conference under way this week in Phoenix, Arizona, a call for papers has been issued for next year's event in Texas.
Texas creates state desalination committee
Following recent severe droughts, a Joint Interim Committee to Study Water Desalination has been created by the legislature in the US state of Texas, including members of both houses.
Desalination capacity increasing by 50% in 2013 says IDA
Desalination plants with a total capacity of 6 million m³/d are expected to come on line during 2013, a 50% increase on 2012, according to new data from the International Desalination Association and GWI DesalData.
Desalination and reuse in California/New Mexico get funding
US Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced on 1 July 2009 27 water reclamation and reuse projects in California and New Mexico identified by the Bureau of Reclamation to share in a total of US$ 134.3 million under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Desalitech building demo plant with Layne Christensen
The originator of the Closed Circuit Desalination (CCD) technology, Desalitech Ltd, announced on 30 June 2011 that it will work with mineral and water drilling and treatment company Layne Christensen to design and build an innovative desalination system.
Intensive short desalination course from UNESCO-IHE
An intensive short course on Membrane Technology in Drinking & Industrial Water Treatment has been announced by UNESCO-IHE).

Desalitech closed-circuit technology set for BWRO project
Israel-based Desalitech Ltd announced on 7 April 2011 that it had been awarded a contract to design and build a reverse osmosis (RO) desalination system for Environmental Protection Technologies (EPT), a global company that leads the industrial wastewater treatment market in Israel.
SEDA workshop to look at RO operational variances
The Southeast Desalting Association (SEDA) is to hold a Workshop on Brackish and sea water reverse osmosis operational variances in Gibsonton, Florida, at the Tampa Bay Desal II Water Treatment Plant.
Mobile BWRO system aids Greek power-station completion
Completion of a power-station water treatment project based on mobile brackish-water reverse-osmosis (BWRO) desalination systems was announced in on 3 February by Swiss-based Ecolutia Services, part of the Stulz/Hager & Elsässer group.
MIT membrane start-up completes funding round
The conclusion of an initial round of funding for Clean Membranes Inc, a start-up company based in Lexington, USA, will permit progress on development of a new generation of non-fouling membranes usable for sea and brackish water desalination.
Texas county opens up brackish desalt project
The San Antonio Water System (SAWS) in Texas, US has begun a ten-year phased brackish water desalination programme that will provide the county with potable water at over 150 Ml/d.
South Florida funds 19 alternative water projects
Desalination and water reclamation plants were among 19 alternative water supply projects for which South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) approved funding assistance worth US$ 3.45 million on 10 November 2010.

URS to assist El Paso desalination solar project
The Public Services Board in El Paso, Texas, on 10 November 2010 voted to hire URS Corporation as a consultant to assist with the choice of a solar energy system to power part of the Kay Bailey Hutchison desalination plant.
Hitachi in Libyan MBR tie-up
Libyan water technology company El Zulal announced on 21 July 2010 that it has signed a sales and marketing agreement with Hitachi of Japan to distribute Hitachi's membrane bioreactor (MBR) product range in Libya.
Australian mining town to up quality from boreholes close to pit with desalination plant
The Australian arm of water technology firm, Valoriza Agua, has won a design and construct contract to deliver a 16.5 Ml/d water treatment plant to replace an existing facility and provide drinking water for the Western Australian mining town, Newman and the mine. The plant will include brackish water reverse osmosis and an ultraviolet treatment system to treat a mix of flows from drinking water boreholes sited too close to mining activities.

Four-stage RO for London desalination plant
The UK's 150,000 m³/d Thames Gateway brackish-water reverse-osmosis (RO) desalination plant, which was opened by Queen Elizabeth's husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, on 2 June 2010, has a four-stage RO process.
Yuma desalination plant restarted for pilot run
Representatives from the US Department of the Interior and three municipal water agencies gathered on 28 April 2010 to launch a one-year pilot run of the Bureau of Reclamation's Yuma Desalting Plant.
Italy's Osmo Sistemi bags brackish desalination deal
Fano, Italy-based Osmo Sistemi has won a turnkey supply deal for two brackish water reverse osmosis units for Libya's Arabian Gulf Oil Company oil field.
Chinese Desalination Society joins unconventional-water seminar
A national seminar on Unconventional Water-Use Technology is to be held in Urumqi in Xinjiang province, China, from 5-9 August 2009 to discuss sea- and brackish-water desalination and use of flood water.
Pall wins 100,000m³/d BWRO system in Manila
A 100,000 m³/d brackish-water desalination system is to be built in Manila, Philippines, by Pall Corporation.
Doosan completes Luggage Point wastewater reuse job
Doosan Hydro Technology announced on 3 June 2009 that it had completed its work on the Luggage Point Advanced Water Treatment Plant in Queensland, Australia, part of the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project, the southern hemisphere's largest recycled water project.
Veolia buys rights to ZDD desalination technology
Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies has acquired worldwide rights to commercialize a new patented zero discharge desalination (ZDD) technology developed at the University of South Carolina by ZDD Inc.
Aquatech wins SWRO desalination contract in Gujarat
Tata Power has awarded Aquatech International Corporation an EPC contract for a 25,200 m³/d seawater reverse-osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant for India's first Ultra Mega Power Project (UMPP) at Mundra in coastal Gujarat.

Large EDR river desalination plant opens in Spain
GE Water and Aigües Ter-Llobregat (ATLL) of Spain announced on 19 May 2009 the opening of the 220,000 m³/d electrodialysis reversal (EDR) brackish water desalination plant on the Llobregat river.
Workshop on membrane water technologies set for March
A workshop on alternative water resources, such as brackish-water desalination and wastewater reuse is being organised in Thessaloniki, Greece on 5 March 2009 by the Center for Research and Technology Hellas and the Berlin Centre of Competence for Water.
New desalination capacity up by 39% in first half of 2008
Newly contracted desalination capacity has risen in the first six months of 2008 by 39%, according to the International Desalination Association (IDA). This comes on top of a 43% growth during 2007.
Belville planning board approves reverse osmosis plant
A request by US local water utility, H2GO (Brunswick Regional Water and Sewer), for an amendment to allow for the building of a reverse osmosis brackish water purification plant has been approved unanimously by the planning authority at Belville, North Carolina.
First Degrémont BWRO unit starts up in Saudi Arabia
The first of the 5,000 m³/d modular brackish-water desalination units being supplied to Saudi Arabia's National Water Company (NWC) by Degrémont began producing water on 7 February 2013.
Reclamation funds reuse in California and New Mexico
Five congressionally authorized water reclamation and reuse projects in California and New Mexico, USA, will receive cost-shared funding for planning, design and construction of their projects, following a Bureau of Reclamation announcement on 21 May 2013.
EU to support saline-aquifer desalination in Djibouti
A 22,500 m³/d brackish-water desalination plant, expandable to double that size and powered by renewable energy, is to be built in the East African state of Djibouti with support from the European Union (EU).
Degrémont wins brackish-water contracts in Riyadh
Suez Environnement subsidiary Degrémont has been awarded two contracts worth EUR 40 million to supply reverse-osmosis (RO) brackish-water desalination plants at 14 sites in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Veolia in mineral recovery partnership at inland desalination plant
Texas-based company, Enviro Water Minerals (EWM), is to deploy its novel mineral recovery technology in a partnership with water and waste giant, Veolia, to produce potable water from brackish water desalination effluent.
San Antonio to get brackish desalination in 2016
The San Antonio Water System (SAWS) in Texas has announced that by October 2016 it will start up a brackish water desalination plant that will eventually become the largest in the US.
Almogordo trial for commercial-size solar desalination still
Indiana-based Suns River is nearing completion of a commercial-sized solar still at the Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility in Almogordo, New Mexico, USA, following the issue of a patent on its process (US #8,088,257) on 3 January 2012.

KfW finances Euro 82 million Tunisian desalination project
KfW Development Bank is to loan €82 million ($95 million) to Tunisia for a desalination plant in Zarat, Gabes Governorate, reports Tunis Afrique Presse.

Tunisia officially opens its first desalination plant
Tunisia's first desalination plant was officially opened by prime minister Youssef Chahed on 3 May 2018.

Tunisia's SONEDE details programme of desalination plants
Tunisia's water utility, SONEDE, has shared details of recently completed and future desalination projects, including groundwater and seawater plants.
Abu Dhabi rejects more desalination despite growing water stress
Environment Policy and Planning at Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) has rejected upping desalination as a means to counter growing water scarcity in the emirate, opting instead for conservation and reuse.
SAWS board goes for expanded desalination project
The San Antonio Water System (SAWS) board in Texas, USA, decided on 10 February 2012 to go for expanded desalination rather than importing groundwater.
SWMOA New Mexico/Colorado workshops in April
The Southwest Membrane Operator Association (SWMOA) is holding two membrane operator training workshops in New Mexico and Colorado in April 2012.
Low-temperature distillation technology licensed to Sterling Water
The low-temperature distillation method of desalination developed by the New Mexico State University (NMSU) in the USA has been licensed to Sterling Water LLC of Qatar.
Solar still v RO comparison for S Australia desalination
A full solar distillation plant was compared with reverse osmosis (RO) for a small groundwater desalination project in South Australia and RO was chosen as the preferred option.
California to promote reuse and streamline permitting
In the future, most new water in California will come from a combination of improved conservation and water use efficiency, conjunctive use (coordinated management of local surface and groundwater), recycled water, drinking water treatment, groundwater remediation, and desalination.
New Mexico mulls new rules to allow water reuse for oilfield drilling
State environmental regulators in New Mexico are considering a proposed rule that would allow the reuse of produced water in oilfield drilling operations.
Chino desalters get first general manager
Curtis Paxton, currently assistant general manager and chief operating officer of the Palmdale Water District, is to become the first general manager of the Chino Basin Desalter Authority (CBDA) in California from 24 January 2011.
Jason Deal to represent PWT in south-west USA
Membrane filtration specialist Professional Water Technologies (PWT) announced on 30 July 2013 the appointment of Jason Deal as regional sales manager, based in Florida.

Q&A Ziad Bouars: "When you come it's just sand"
Ziad Bouars, commissioning manager at Sidem-Veolia, explains why he has no intention of swapping a projects role out in the field for a desk job back at head office
IDA on road to Morocco in March 2012
The International Desalination Association (IDA) has announced the first event of its kind in the North Africa region, a conference on desalination and sustainability in partnership with the Societé Marocaine des Membranes et de Dessalement (SMMD).
Cadagua to get 75,800 m³/d Moroccan desalination plant
Spain's Cadagua has been given a letter of intent for award of a 75,800 m³/d desalination plant in the Jorf Lasfar industrial complex in Morocco, 100km south of Casablanca.

Most-read: our top 20 stories of 2018
The year 2018 was dominated by big project tenders in the Middle East, especially Saudi Arabia. Water. desalination + reuse rounds up the top stories from our industry.

Va Tech Wabag secures Tunisian desalination project
VA Tech Wabag has secured a contract for a 50,000 m3/d desalination plant in Zarat, Gabes governorate, Tunisia.

Tunisia's SONEDE secures $328 million for Sfax seawater desal project
Tunisia's national water utility SONEDE has secured a loan of JPY 36.7 billion ($328 million) from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to build a seawater desalination plant at Sfax.
Lawsuit halts Monterey desalination test wells
A lawsuit filed in the California Superior Court by Ag Land Trust has halted work on test wells for the Regional Desalination Project, which involves a 10 MGD (37,850 m³/d) desalination plant for the Monterey region.
Israel aids Pacific island with mobile desalinator
Israel's ministry of foreign affairs is supplying a truck-mounted desalination facility to the Marshall islands in the Pacific ocean to help tackle the islands' severe water shortage.
Florida city breaks ground on brackish RO project
The Florida city of Tarpon Springs broke ground on 25 March 2013 on a 5 MGD (19,000 m³/d) reverse-osmosis Alternative Water Supply Project.

"We are figuring out how to manage a portfolio of water resources" Jeff Mosher, WE&RF
The new head of research at the Water Environment & Reuse Foundation, US, outlines a vision for research to support integrated water resource management.
Bill to update US Desalination Act introduced
A bill to fund US government research and development projects into desalination was introduced into the US House of Representatives on 27 July 2011 by California Democrat representative Grace F Napolitano.