A desalination plant will be built in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, to solve a drinking water shortage.

Spanish infrastructure conglomerate Acciona will manage the project and invest €134.5 million (around US $165 million) in the public-private scheme, with construction expected to take 24 months.

The plant will benefit 464,000 residents, producing 250 liters of drinking water per second, equivalent to seven million cubic meters per year.

Acciona will be responsible for design, financing and construction as well as operational testing and maintenance for 25 years.

Construction will be carried out by a consortium of Acciona’s water branch and Mexican infrastructure company La Peninsular Compañía Constructora.

Acciona is involved in a number of other public projects. It worked with Grupo México on the Maya Train between Playa del Carmen and Tulum in Quintana Roo and a sewage plant in Atotonilco, Hidalgo, as well as various highway construction projects and a hospital.

In April Acciona began the construction of a similar desalination plant in Dubai.

Its plants use reverse osmosis technology rather than conventional thermal desalination, which emits six times less greenhouse gas, leaving a lighter carbon footprint.

Sources: El Economista (sp), Diario El Independiente (sp)