The development of the long-awaited Coquimbo Region Desalination Plant took a step forward last week with the submission of technical and financial bids by Sacyr Aguas Chile and the PDAM Mamanchay Consortium. The initiative, which involves an investment of USD $318 million (UF 8,195,000), seeks to address the region’s ongoing water crisis and will benefit more than 400,000 people.
On Tuesday, 14 October, Chile’s Ministry of Public Works received the bids for the concession project, which has a 21-year term from provisional commissioning. The next stage of the process involves the opening of financial bids on 14 November, with the project expected to be awarded in the first quarter of 2026.
The desalination plant will be located in Ensenada de Panul, in the southern part of the Coquimbo Region. The initiative forms part of a presidential commitment announced in January 2024 to develop a public-private partnership aimed at strengthening water security in one of Chile’s most drought-affected areas.
The desalination plant will be located in Ensenada de Panul, in the southern part of the Coquimbo Region
Public Works Minister Jessica López highlighted the importance of the project for the region: “This is a long-awaited project and a commitment by our government to the inhabitants of the Coquimbo region. We are taking a major step forward in promoting the first desalination plant to be built through the concession system, which will contribute to the economic recovery of the area and water security.”
The project includes the design, construction, and operation of a seawater desalination plant with a total capacity of 1,200 liters per second and an initial operation of 800 liters per second. The facility will produce water for human consumption and multipurpose use, and will include maritime works, a reverse osmosis system, and an 18.7-kilometer distribution pipeline connecting to storage tanks with a combined capacity of 8,000 cubic meters.
Once environmental approval is obtained, construction is expected to generate around 1,000 jobs per month. The Coquimbo Desalination Plant will be the first of its kind to be developed under Chile’s concession system, marking a milestone in the country’s strategy to diversify water sources and enhance resilience in the face of prolonged drought.
