220,000

Population served

A milestone in the Canary Islands

In November 2002, a reconversion of the facilities was completed, enabling production to reach 33,000 m3/day and thus meet the expected increase in demand.

The Southeast desalination plant is a reference in desalination. Since its implementation in operation until today, it has been adapted to the different technological changes that have been impacting on its energetic improvement and on the quality of water. This quality and elevated performance achieve get 55 liters of water product per 100 liters of sea water, which are obtained with the double stage and the double step.

In 1999, an extension to the facility was built increasing its capacity to 25,000 m3/day, thus guaranteeing the supply of water to 100% of the Community (100,000 inhabitants). In November 2002, a reconversion of the facilities was completed allowing for a production of 33,000 m3/day and thus tackle the predicted increase in demand.

Thanks to the IDAM, the demand of almost all the inhabitants of the region is met, including the highest altitude populations, located in the Tirajana and Temisas basin. It also supplies part of the water needs of San Bartolomé de Tirajana and Telde.

General Information

  • Project: Southeast SWRO
  • Entity: Association of Southeast Gran Canaria.
  • Location: Santa Lucía, Gran Canaria. Spain.
  • Flow: 33,000 m3/day.
  • Population: 220,000 inhabitants

Key points

  • Seawater catchment is carried out using 17 wells with 150 m depths.
  • Dosage of hypochlorite, ferric chloride and sulphuric acid.
  • Pumping through 2 vertical centrifuge pumps with a flow of 550 m3/h.
  • The plant has 4 sand filters (after the first expansion).
  • The safety filtration has 4 cartridge filters (after the first expansion) plus one in reserve.
  • Two high pressure groups plus one reserve group with divided chamber multi-stage pumps, 950 kw motor and Francis turbines for energy recovery.
  • For reverse osmosis, it has 4 frames with a capacity of 7,500 m3/day.
  • Reconversion. Since the marine aquifer was at its limit, the reconversion consisted of increasing the conversion factor, meaning obtaining more product flow from the same supply flow (8,000 m3/day).
  • Remineralisation system based on the injection of CO2 and Nutritious lime Hydroxide, which allows for the adaptation of the pH and the hardness of the product water.

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