President Boric announces the installation of desalination plants in the Coquimbo Region
The Chilean leader announced a tender to guarantee the supply of drinking water in the region.
This week started with good news for the Coquimbo Region, as President Gabriel Boric announced a tender to install desalination plants in the area.
According to the Chilean leader, who visited Coquimbo together with the Minister of Public Works, Jessica López, and the Minister of Agriculture, Esteban Valenzuela, a tender for a multi-purpose desalination plant in the city will be initiated during the second half of 2024.
The plant is expected to have a capacity of 1,200 liters/second and will benefit 540,000 people, guaranteeing a stable supply of drinking water to the Greater La Serena area and enabling desalinated water to be sent to Ovalle.
“During my last visit, I announced at the Hurtado River that the region would have at least one desalination plant, and I want to let you know that we’re making progress on those promises. We’re going to install the region’s long-awaited multi-purpose desalination plant in the Panul area of Coquimbo (...) This plant will also send water to Ovalle,” said Gabriel Boric, President of Chile.
New desalination plants in the Coquimbo Region
As a result of the new law that enables the Ministry of Public Works to build desalination plants to produce water for human consumption, starting in 2024 the ministry plans to implement the first stage of a desalination system, including the construction of four plants, to contribute to addressing growing water scarcity.
In order to mitigate the water deficit affecting Rural Sanitation Services (RSS) in the region, the Ministry of Public Works is planning to install three desalination plants to provide a reliable water source for human consumption to the Rural Sanitation Services in the provinces of Limarí, Choapa and the Quilimarí Valley, with an investment of almost US$209 million.