Every year, the Global Water Summit, the premier business conference for the water industry, hosts the prestigious Global Water Awards. These awards celebrate the most significant achievements across the international water sector, recognizing initiatives in water, wastewater, and desalination that propel the industry forward. Global Water Awards 2024: Recognizing Excellence in the Water Industry
The awards acknowledge advancements in operational efficiency, innovative technology adoption, and sustainable financial models.
Celebrating Innovation, here are the 2024 Desalination Plant Award nominees.
The Desalination Plant of the Year category recognizes facilities that exemplify excellence in desalination technology. This year’s shortlisted nominees showcase a diverse range of impressive achievements:
Cabo San Lucas SWRO, Mexico:
This project demonstrates how existing infrastructure can be revitalized. By incorporating cutting-edge technology from a team of collaborators including TSG Water Resources, H2O Innovation, FEDCO, LG, and Siemens, the plant significantly increased its capacity without the need for a complete rebuild.
Additionally, the facility boasts reduced energy consumption while delivering a substantial volume of clean water, making it an environmentally friendly solution.
Jubail 3A IWP, Saudi Arabia
This independent water project (IWP) provides clean water to millions in Saudi Arabia, producing a staggering 600,000 cubic meters daily. The plant pushes the boundaries of energy efficiency, achieving a world-leading low of 2.79kWh/m3 through a unique design. Global Water Awards 2024: Recognizing Excellence in the Water Industry
Sustainability is further emphasized by the incorporation of a 45.5-megawatt solar photovoltaic facility, generating 20% of the plant’s power and significantly reducing its carbon footprint. Remarkably, the project overcame challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and was completed within a swift 27 months.
Jurong Island Desalination Plant (JIDP), Singapore:
As Singapore’s fifth desalination plant, JIDP is a large facility delivering 137,000 m3/day of clean water. Sustainability is a core principle here, with the plant strategically designed to function synergistically with a nearby power plant.
This approach reduces capital expenditure by reusing existing seawater intake and outfall infrastructure. JIDP also draws electricity directly from the power plant, eliminating grid charges, and utilizes warm water from the plant’s condenser to enhance RO efficiency and reduce energy consumption by 3-5%.
Furthermore, JIDP embraces automation, significantly minimizing staffing needs and allowing for operation by as few as two people from the main control room. The plant’s modular design expedited construction by enabling prefabrication and testing of assembled modules before shipment to the site.
Shoaiba 4 NF Mg Recovery System, Saudi Arabia:
This project represents a groundbreaking approach to desalination brine treatment. The world’s first large-scale project of its kind, the Shoaiba 4 system extracts magnesium (Mg) from the brine stream of the Saline Water Conversion Corporation’s (SWCC) Shoaiba 4 seawater reverse osmosis plant.
This Mg is then cleverly reintroduced into the treated water, enriching it with health benefits for consumers at a minimal additional cost. Developed by the SWCC’s Water Technologies Innovation Institute and Research Institute (WTIIRA), the technology paves the way for cost-effective brine refining.
PureGy and Zeomedia partnership for Sustainable Water Solutions
Zeomedia is thrilled to acknowledge the invaluable partnership it has forged with PureGy, a leading Saudi Arabian service provider specializing in water treatment, green energy, and environmental solutions.
This collaboration extends far beyond simply reaching new clients. It presents a unique opportunity to combine Zeomedia’s global expertise in water technologies with PureGy’s established presence and understanding of the specific needs of the Saudi Arabian market.
Furthermore, this partnership fosters knowledge exchange and co-creation. By working together on projects, Zeomedia and PureGy can combine their expertise to develop innovative and localized solutions that directly address the water treatment challenges faced by Saudi Arabian industries.
This collaborative approach holds immense potential to push the boundaries of water treatment technology and contribute to a more sustainable water future for the region.
Ultimately, the Zeomedia-PureGy partnership represents more than just a business alliance. It signifies a shared commitment to providing clients with access to cutting-edge water treatment solutions while promoting environmental responsibility and sustainable water management practices throughout Saudi Arabia.
