Channel island Jersey is undergoing a modernisation programme to almost double the capacity of its original desalination plant built in 1999.
Utility Jersey Water has contracted ACWA Services, part of the ACWA Group, to upgrade its La Rosière desalination plant in a bid to reduce operating costs and secure supply.
The upgrade is estimated to be worth £6 million (read WWi article).
When finished, capacity is expected to increase from 6,000 m3/day up to 10,800 m3/day, with a potential to expand the site to 15,000 m3/day.
This will mean the La Rosière project will be the largest seawater desalination plant in the UK, but considerably smaller than Thames Water’s 150,000 m3/day brackish water desalination plant in East London.
Starting this month, the modernisation in Jersey will include the complete redesign and expansion of the existing seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) process streams with new pressure vessels, an additional dual media filter, high capacity RO membranes, pre-treatment systems and associated equipment.
To meet the utility’s object of reducing operating costs, an energy recovery system will be used to recover hydraulic energy from the reject stream of concentrated brine.
Although desalination has not been common for mainland UK water supply in the past, population growth coupled with increased water scarcity is forcing utilities to consider seawater as a source for their drinking water.
Earlier this year utility Southern Water said it is considering a £40 million desalination plant to provide 200,000 m3/day along the south coast of England.
Helier Smith, chief executive at Jersey Water said: “With the current plant at the end of its serviceable life, ACWA’s solution will increase capacity and resilience for the Island’s public water supply in times of low rainfall and built-in energy recovery will ensure that running costs are lower when the plant is online.”
ACWA Services previously designed, installed and commissioned the 64,000 m3/day seawater desalination plant on the Palm Jumeirah, Dubai.
Peter Brewer, general manager at the company, said: “With a tight programme to achieve all the upgrades in time for the summer months when the plant may be required, our combined process, mechanical and electrical engineering disciplines are keen to get working. To overcome strict Planning Authority constraints and limited space on site, we have included measures to use the existing buildings and ancillary equipment to their maximum potential, whilst offering the most robust solution.”
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