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New Desalination Plant Located in SP Could Transform Seawater into Potable Water for Thousands of People, Resulting in 22% in Supply for Residents and Tourists.
Water is essential for all forms of life, both for humans and other species. However, not all regions of the world have easy access to potable water. A clear example of this disparity is Ilhabela, in the state of São Paulo, which faces one of the most severe problems of adequate water supply in the entire state. In light of this situation, the city plans to implement the first desalination plant, an ambitious project that will convert seawater into potable water, seeking to mitigate this critical scarcity.
Desalination Plant in SP Excites Residents
This week, the Basic Sanitation Company of the State of São Paulo (Sabesp) announced a bidding process for companies interested in the project to construct the desalination plant. The goal of the proposal is to expand the production and distribution system to provide potable water to a quarter of the population residing in Ilhabela, that is, around 8,000 people. The total population is 35,000 inhabitants.
The plant capable of transforming seawater into potable water will operate as follows: water will be drawn from the sea in the region, and the machinery will process up to 30 liters per second. The result will be a 22% increase in the supply of potable water for residents and tourists. Additionally, Sabesp states that production will continue to provide the same percentage during the high season.
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According to Renato Giani Ramos, coordinator of the National Technical Chamber of Desalination and Water Reuse of the Brazilian Association of Sanitary Engineering, it is crucial to address the diversification of the water matrix. This need becomes particularly evident when recalling the severe water scarcity that hit São Paulo a few years ago.
Desalination Plant in SP Will Use Reverse Osmosis Technique
For Giani, if the association works better with different resources and does not only extract from aquifers and surface waters but also manages to extract potable water from the sea, it will be possible to achieve a balance in the water matrix.
The element will be extracted from the banks of the Ribeirão Água Branca and will undergo a complete desalination process at the desalination plant in SP, capable of transforming seawater into potable water, with a pre-treatment by ultrafiltration or another equivalent technology.
The removal of salt will be carried out by the reverse osmosis technique, a method that applies high pressure to a quantity of seawater; after passing through a membrane, all salt particles are removed.
The liquid also undergoes remineralization treatment and is finally ready to be consumed. Companies interested in constructing the desalination plant in SP can submit proposals until June 25.
Plant Capable of Transforming Seawater into Potable Water Will Be Ready by 2026
The Sabesp states that the construction of the desalination plant will be implemented sometime in 2026. According to what Sabesp describes in a statement about the bidding process, desalination is a technology widely employed in places like Dubai, Israel, and California, among others.
It features reverse osmosis technology, a process used internationally. The desalinated water will be transported to a reservoir located at the Água Branca Water Treatment Station (ETA), where it will be distributed for public consumption.
With the capacity to transform seawater into potable water, Sabesp continues to advance in the adoption of innovative technologies and positions Ilhabela as a hub for innovation in sanitation. It is worth mentioning that there are already other similar desalination plant initiatives in the states of Ceará and Espírito Santo.
Somos um país rico em água doce. Para sanar a questão da carência do recurso na ilha, alguma solução precisa ser adotada. Municípios adjacentes poderiam suprir facilmente tal demanda. Haveria que construir uma tubulação submersa para transportar a agua de São Sebastião ou Caraguatatuba para Ilha Bela. Mas devido o Município de Ilha Bela ter direito aos royalties da extração do Petróleo na Bacia de Santos, precisa destinar seus recursos a algum projeto, mesmo que seja dispendioso ou extravagante. O municipio de Ilha Bela é um paraíso turístico, e pode receber dezenas de milhares de turístas em um único fim de semana. Não seria a Sabesp a empresa estatal a infringir a legislação ambiental, deteriorando os ecossistemas da ilha, prejudicando o turismo. Assim, o reservatório de água potável tratada precisa ser amplamente superdimensionado. Tendo a usina dessanilizadora, o município não fica fragilizado na ocorrência de estiagem que possa prejudicar o abastecimento vindo de outros municípios.
Resumindo: onde há dinheiro, há investimento para sanar problemas de dependências.
Parabéns à Sabesp, parabéns ao município de Ilha Bela, parabéns ao Valdemar Medeiros pela reportagem, e saudações aos invejosos de plantão!
Aonde irão depositar o sal retirado ?
Uma tecnologia usada por décadas em outros países, porém aqui chega como grande inovação
O que é roubado aqui, daria p ter uma em cada município que beiram nossas encostas, acabaria com a falta de água constante nessas regiões.
O mundo anda com passos de Piloto de ponta, o Brasil como o Rubinho.