ACCIONA and J.R. Filanc Construction have been selected by the South Coast Water District to design, construct, operate, and maintain a new ocean desalination facility that will supply fresh drinking water to homes and businesses in the South Orange County area.
The Doheny Ocean Desalination Plant, situated in Dana Point, California, will feature up to five fully submerged slant wells, a one-mile raw water pipeline, and a treatment facility employing reverse osmosis technology.
In collaboration with the South Coast Water District, two public partner agencies, and California State Parks, ACCIONA and Filanc will partner with Hazen to design the project, determining the locations for the new oceanwater slant wells and all associated conveyance and treatment facilities, while also creating a strategy for a carbon-neutral energy supply.
Drought Resilience
The Doheny Ocean Desalination Project aims to establish a reliable local water source that is resilient to drought, while also serving as an emergency water supply should the region’s current imported water sources be interrupted by earthquakes or other natural disasters.
The slant wells, positioned beneath the ocean floor, will draw in raw seawater without disrupting marine ecosystems. The brine will be blended with treated water from a nearby wastewater treatment facility, using the existing San Juan Creek Ocean Outfall pipe to return it to the ocean, which is both regulatory compliant and environmentally preferred.
Upon completion, ACCIONA will oversee the operation and maintenance of the facility for about 15 years, ensuring a sustainable, local supply of high-quality water at an affordable price, with a design that can endure natural disasters and is resilient to drought and climate change.
ACCIONA is a global frontrunner in saltwater reverse osmosis, recognized as the most advanced, sustainable, and widely adopted desalination technology, which enhances water quality while minimizing environmental impact.
Reverse osmosis generates 6.5 times less CO2 emissions compared to traditional desalination methods. The company is equipped to handle every aspect of desalination facility development: design, construction, operation, and maintenance.
Notable desalination projects by ACCIONA include the Port Stanvac desalination plant in Adelaide, Australia; Al Khobar 2 in Saudi Arabia; Collahuasí in Tarapacá, Chile; Tampa Bay in Florida, USA; and the Torrevieja desalination plant in Alicante, Spain.
Source :ACCIONA
