Chile’s first desal concession enters environmental review

The concessions office of Chile's public works ministry has submitted the environmental impact study (EIS) for the country's first desalination concession, involving US$260mn, to review agency SEA.

A tender is planned to be launched still this year and construction should start in August 2026, according to the EIS, which is available here.

The plant will be built in Coquimbo region and involve three stages. The first entails capacity of 800l/s, the second 1,000l/s and the third 1,200l/s.

Construction will be divided into two main stages, with the first focused on the main plant and the second on an expansion pipeline and storage facility. 

The main plant will have an 862m water intake pipeline and a 390m submarine emissary, while the expansion is planned to add an 18.6km impulsion pipeline to transport water from the plant to an 8,000m2 storage tank system.

In its first stage, the facility will benefit 460,000 residents in Coquimbo city and regional capital La Serena.

Works on stage 1 should finish in 2031. Stage 2 construction is expected to start in late 2028 and finish in 2030.