The IDAM in Santa Eulària, located on the island of Ibiza, is a seawater desalination plant that uses reverse osmosis, with a current production capacity of approximately 16,000 m³/day and a population served of around 100,000 inhabitants.
The facility forms part of Ibiza’s island-wide desalinated water supply system, alongside the plants in Ibiza (Vila) and Sant Antoni, which are connected by a distribution network spanning approximately 74 km. The plant is owned by ABAQUA, whilst ACCIONA and Aqualia are responsible for its operation, maintenance and upkeep. In addition, an expansion is planned which will increase its capacity to approximately 22,000 m³/day, through the addition of a new reverse osmosis unit.
Until the creation of IDAM, Santa Eulalia del Río’s only water supply came from groundwater. The rapid growth in residential development in recent years has led to the overexploitation of the aquifers, causing seawater intrusion and a drop in the dynamic water level of the wells, which has made it difficult to maintain the water supply to the population. For this reason, IDAM guarantees the current and future water supply for the municipality and other towns on the island.
The connection of the SWRO of Santa Eulalia was the first project financed with the sustainable tourism tax in the Balearic Islands and belongs to the Annual Plan to Promote Sustainable Tourism for 2016, being one of the projects to improve the water cycle after the important drought that had suffered, especially Ibiza. This closes the interconnection ring of the desalination plants of Vila, Santa Eulària and Sant Antoni, which will be able to supply the whole island with drinking water.
GENERAL INFORMATION
- Capacity: 15,000 m³/day
- Population: 100,000 inhabitants
- Location: Santa Eulalia del río, Ibiza, Balearic Islands, Spain
- Type of contract: EPC + O&M
- Client: Balearic Water and Environmental Quality Agency