Madrid, 2 August 2006.- The Board of Directors of Acuamed has awarded Ferrovial, through its construction subsidiary Ferrovial-Agromán and its water technology subsidiary Cadagua, and the Sacyr Vallehermoso group, through its construction subsidiary Sacyr and its water subsidiary Sadyt, the contract to design, build, operate and maintain the Águilas/Guadalentín desalination plant, in Murcia.
The contract is worth 238.7 million euro and includes operation and maintenance of the plant for 15 years. The plant must be completed within 22 months from approval of the final construction plans. The Águilas/Guadalentín desalination plant will have a capacity of 60 Hm3/year (180,000 m3/day). The winning consortium must also undertake the work required to increase the capacity of the existing desalination plant, owned by the Águilas Irrigation Board, by 6 Hm3/year (18,000 m3/day) by expanding the water intake and pre-processing facilities.
The new Águilas/Guadalentín desalination plant will supplement water supplies to irrigate the southern area of the Segura watershed as well as supplying water to the municipalities of Lorca and Águilas. The plant is part of the Environment Ministry’s A.G.U.A. plan. Sea water will be taken in at a depth of 17 metres to minimise the impact and, after processing, the brine will be discharged in an area where waves will favour diffusion and dissolution. The desalination process includes physical and chemical pre-treatment, microfiltration, pressurisation, reverse osmosis, boron removal, and post-treatment.
The installations will include renewable energy facilities (solar thermal for sanitary hot water, and solar photovoltaic to power indoor and outdoor lighting, irrigation of green areas, heating and air conditioning) and the plant will be integrated into the landscape and environment using ecological materials, sustainable technologies, autochthonous vegetation, rational land use and energy efficiency, among other factors. The desalination plant will also have an interpretation centre to receive visits from the public.
