MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Members, Water D es a l i n at i o n h as pro gre ssed sustainably and quickly during the last 20 years, reaching 104.000 M m3/day in 2019 (according to the last desaldata report). Desalination being used as an alternative water supply for safe drinking water is now a reality which represents a solution for coastal areas with no alternative fresh water resources. The technology has improved in efficiency, and notably, the solutions offered are competitive in their energy efficiency (3.2-4 kw-h/m3), specifically regarding membrane performance, offering the market affordable tariffs (0.5-0,8 $/m3). That Desalination as a solution has been widely adapted to new contracting models and new financing structures has clearly facilitated the current expansion in the marketplace (e.g., 65% has been contracted under BOOT, versus 35% in EPC as of 2019). Finally, the scalability of the technology has proved mature and reliable. 6
These days, it is simply out of the question to have several projects under construction in the range above 400 MLD. And yet, if we review the evolution of water reuse, I don’t think we have fulfilled the original expectations we held twenty years ago. In the last two years, the reuse market has grown larger than the desalination market (even combining desalination of seawater and brackish water) regarding new contracted capacity, especially in regions that suffer from prolonged periods of drought, or in those places where access to fresh water is a continual challenge. With the exception of specific cases, such as California, Israel and Singapore, the majority of the world is far from achieving their goals of clean water sustainability. How is it possible that witnessing expanding technology development in desalination, better access to the resources needed for
