Following feasibility studies, the National Water Commission (CONAGUA) has determined Puerto Peñasco is the ideal spot for development of a binational desalination plant, which would provide water to Puerto Peñasco and surrounding areas as well as to the southern part of Arizona.
Given these findings, during the 22nd ordinary meeting of the Puerto Peñasco City Council at the end of June, Engineer Jorge David Ayala Soto was approved as Project Coordinator and Technical Committee Director to coordinate further studies and corresponding actions.
Engineer Ayala Soto will have the authority to take necessary steps to acquire national and international financing, carry out technical-economic feasibility studies, as well as the executive project and specifications for the equipment bidding process.
The Mayor explained in following through with the June 20th agreement signed by the Water Committee of the Sonora-Arizona Commission, Puerto Peñasco’s City Council has ratified its formal commitment to help implement the project for a desalination plant.
Once the binational project is completed (which is for the long-term), part of the production from the desalination plant would supply Arizona while also strengthening the present and future social, commercial, tourism, and industrial development of Puerto Peñasco and other spots in Sonora.
Jorge Ayala, who is also Director of the Civil Association “Water for the World and Renewable Energy”, explained his role would be that of continuing and finalizing bases that would allow for water from the desalination plant to reach communities in Sonora and Arizona.
“The Federal Government, via CONAGUA, has shown through studies the ideal spot to develop the binational desalination project is Puerto Peñasco,” he affirmed.
The project would produce 2000 liters of water per second, with a first phase of 500 liters per second. Ayala added, “it is a green project,” which would not produce discharge back into the sea though there would be salt recovery. In addition, the initial 100 megawatt project would be supported by solar energy.
Finally, the Mayor emphasized, protecting and preserving ecosystems and marine life within the Gulf of California, along with tourism infrastructure, are criteria that must be considered fundamental for the implementation and operation of the international desalination project with water from the Gulf of California.