Environmental Impact Reduction in Barcelona’s Desalination Seawater Intake and

Brine Disposal

Authors: Jordi Vila, Joan Compte, Tomás Cazurra, Nazaret Ontañón, Mariano Sola, Francisco
Urrutia Urrutia

Presenter: Jordi Vila

Civil Engineer – DRACE Medioambiente – Spain

Abstract

Environmental topics are nowadays extremely important to all infrastructures, especially those related to
water. A very important subject for any Desalination Plant is the environmental disturbance as a result
of water in-taking and brine disposal back to the sea.

The construction of Sea Water Reverse Osmosis Plant (SWRO) with a volume of 60 Hm3/year was a
decision undertaken by the public authorities in order to guarantee drinking- water supply to Barcelona’s
inner-city and its 4 million inhabitants. ATLL as a public company owner of the project, jointly with the
Joint Venture of DRACE medioambiente - Dragados - Degrémont - Agbar as main contractors have
carried out this impressive project.

Barcelona’s SWRO Plant is located in the south of the city, between the harbor area and the mouth of
the River LLobregat just beside a waste-water plant, not precisely by coincidence since there is an
enormous advantage to marine environments, the possibility of simultaneously discharging brine along
with wastewater through a submarine outfall.

When a final location was chosen, it was analyzed the best method to obtain a 6m3/s of sea water. It was
not advisable to extract the water out of the harbor area, and a much farther location from the river
mouth and the waste-water outfall was needed. The coast line in this area possesses a rich environmental
value since it contains littoral lagoons, wetlands and a Bird Natural Reserve especially protected. Also
land availability is very limited.

After preliminary seawater quality tests were carried on along with geological and environmental
studies, two possible solutions were considered: a open depth intake and a horizontal drain pipes system.
Both were tested on reduced scale models, together with a demonstration RO Plant. Although water
quality results were very similar, in the end the decision to build a open depth intake was taken in favor
of fewer disturbances on environmental protected areas and lower water temperatures during summer.

The Intake consisted in two PE 1.8 m diameter and 2.1 km length pipes with two concrete towers which
would extract water from a 26 m depth. Pipes of Norwegian manufacture and 500 mts long were towed
together into Barcelona Harbor, ballasted and sunk into a previously opened trench on the sea bed.

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I. INTRODUCTION

Environmental topics are more and more important nowadays in civilian infrastructures. This fact is
especially relevant in all water related subjects. Although Sea-Water Desalination Plants possess fewer
and smaller environmental impacts compared to other public works such as highways or dams, they
present a unanimously common trait: the plant’s direct contact with the sea in order to extract water and
subsequently return brine to it. At Barcelona’s Sea-Water Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) Plant all
environments considerations have been taken into account regarding the water in-take, brine disposal
and water treatment systems.

II. ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

2.1 Barcelona’s Desalination Plant Location. Brine Discharge

Barcelona’s inner-city area, population 4 million, is located on the Western side of the Mediterranean
Sea. All drinking-water for this area comes from two rivers flowing from the Pyrenees Mountains (Ter
and Llobregat) and from nearby aquifers.

Figure 1- Situation

Frequent drought periods places Barcelona under water restrictions. In order to reduce this risk, public
authorities, ATLL, have come to the decision to build a Desalination Plant which would add new water
resources, non dependant on weather conditions. The Plant will provide 60 Hm3/year of water, around
20% of today’s consumption. This means 180.000 m3/day production with an additional of 6 m3/sec of
sea water extraction.

SWRO is located south of Barcelona, between the harbor area and the Llobregat River mouth, just
beside to a Waste-Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) which collects part of the city’s wastewaters and
provides service to an approximately 2.5 million inhabitants. Treated waters are re-used in several ways:
irrigation purposes, wetland preservation, enlargement of the river flow and also injection of a water
volume to aquifers, preserving them from salt intrusion. These two plants together, SWRO and WWTP,
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are being considered one of the biggest and most advanced water treatment facilities in the South of
Europe.

WWTP discharges all non-disposable waters through a 3 km off-shore under water outfall, 55 m. in
depth. This situation provides SWRO an opportunity to dispose of the brine, in a twofold manner:
avoiding the construction of a brine conduction system and to facilitate brine dissolution into treated
waste-waters.

Figure 2 – SWRO location

2.2 Wetlands

Surrounding surfaces in all big inner-city areas are usually under great pressure to change natural spaces
into urban areas. When this happens combined with the fact that these surfaces are also of great
environmental value, the arisen conflicts are even more intense. This is the situation in the South of
Barcelona, a recently born out sedimentary land surface from the Llobregat River which constitutes a
deltaic system with littoral lagoons and wetlands. These lands have been brought back to agricultural
activities, its original use.

In the past, these lands were flat and fertile and supplied part of the area’s demands for vegetables and
fruits. In the last century several important infrastructures had been located there such as the airport,
railway terminals, highways, industrial areas and just recently a harbor enlargement along with the
Waste-Water Treatment Plant. All these conditions have reduced the size of farmlands and natural
spaces. Environmental groups have increased pressure upon public opinion to preserve and protect the
remaining of these natural spaces, as shown in figure 3.

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 Figure 3 – Protected Natural Reserves

At the end of the last century, the Prat Beach was not available for bathing due to waste-water
discharges directly into the river. At present, with the Waste-Water Plant fully operational, the quality of
beaches has remarkably improved and sea water is clean. In order to enlarge Barcelona’s harbor, the
Llobregat river flow has been relocated southwards and new wetlands have been created from the new
regenerated water supplies. In order to preserve the wetlands, public authorities have declared this area
as a Bird Natural Reserve and public access to beaches has been restricted. Such is the degree of
protectiveness that during the nesting season in spring, human presence was completely forbidden even
for such simple activities such as bathing or walking. Only a small piece of land between the airport’s
runway and the wetlands is available to build in.

2.3 Marine Environment Description

As mentioned before, the South coast of Barcelona is composed of fine sand beaches, however not far
from shore, depth increases rapidly. Approximately one kilometer form shore, water depth is in between
10 to 15 m, progressively increasing at 2 km into 25 to 35 km and at a distance of 3 km, depth reaches
up to 50 m.

The sea bottom is constituted of fine sediments, horizontally stratified and a garden variety medium
permeability sands and limes. The rock basement appears at a considerable depth, more than 60 m.

The Mediterranean Sea is not as rough as an ocean, but from time to time heavy storms do occur due to
Eastern winds when waves can rise above 8 m high. Astronomic tides tend to be small and the biggest
sea changes are weather related with low anticyclone water levels and rising with cyclone periods, and
always in a very slow manner.

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 Figure 4 – Marine profile

At present the coast line is receding due in part to the dam retention of sediments in the rivers and also
because of the building of several harbors thus altering the general north to south streams. Every year is
mandatory to provide new sand to the beaches. This is done by dredging into the sea and placing the
sands directly on the shore. Since beaches are usually very crowded during summer season, especially
near the airport, fishing activities are performed by small to medium size ships equipped with non
aggressive fishing gears, although sometimes bigger boats of the trawler sort sail near shore. Fishing in
the harbor entrance and its surrounding areas is strictly forbidden.

2.4 Sources Causing Disturbances in Marine Environment

Several other elements can be taken into account in addition to the ones mentioned before, all of them
disruptive of sea water amount intake. Perhaps the most significant one is at Barcelona’s harbor, the
biggest harbor in the Mediterranean Sea. At present, an enlargement is in progress. The river flow has
had to be diverted and a protection dam of more than 1 km penetrates into the sea. There is no doubt that
this situation will effect changes in littoral dynamics as well as the receding of the shores will speed up.

Figure 5 – Sources causing disturbances

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The Llobregat River flows over a densely populated area with numerous factories, carrying big amounts
of sediments and pollutants. Luckily, more and more treatment plants are operational now and there’s
been a remarkable improvement of water quality.

Three Waste-Water Plants discharge through under water outfalls in the nearby area. The most
important one is EL PRAT Plant, with an average flow of 3.5 m3/sec. Its outfall is 3 km in length, 2.4 m
diameter and the diffusers spread over 500 m length at an average depth of 55 m. The other plants are
GAVA and the one at the airport, much smaller in size.

Another possible disruption will arise from the amount of ships sailing to and from the harbor.
Uncontrolled ship’s disposals may affect marine intakes.

III. PRELIMINARY STUDIES

3.1 Sea Water Sampling. Lab Testing.

Before any decisions regarding water intake and pre-treatment, water from different locations, depths
and periods of the year was taken. Even it is only taken into account temperature values; the basic
conclusion is that during summer season temperature decreases with depth while during winter remains
much more stable.

Figure 6 – Temperatures

These samples processed in the lab, not only to obtain standard parameters, but also to perform tests
simulating the usual treatment processes inside a SWRO plant. The results were more than clear to allow
starting the plant’s design.

As first conclusions go, we are able to support that the Silt Density Index (SDI) which is a standard
parameter, indicated that the water quality to feed the RO was good with one exception, when the
sampling in combination with heavy rains near the shore reflected a slight increase of SDI.

3.2 Llobregat River Impact Model

One of the aspects designers most worry about was the impact caused by a large river flooding.
Turbidity increases for sure and maybe the necessity to stop the plant’s activity for several days may
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arise. In order to simulate this scenario, a mock model of the coast was built, where multiple-size
particle dispersion was studied. The test was repeated in different river stream flows along with river
winds and water currents. The results clearly show that even during large floods (return periods up to 10
years) and strong winds, unclean water spreads over a parallel strip to the shore of 2 km wide and every
time close to the surface. This result matches in every way a post-flood scenario.

Figure 7 – River influence

IV. INTAKE AND OUTFALL ALTERNATIVES. REDUCED SCALE TESTS.

After the performance of preliminary tests, various crystal clear conclusions can be drawn. The best
location for the plant is beside the waste-water plant. This location offers two main advantages: firstly, a
Desalination Plant produces less threatening impact than a WWTP, and both facilities will share the
same area near the harbor. Secondly and of the most importance: a real opportunity may exist to enable
a simultaneous discharge of rejected brine from the RO together with treated waste-water through the
existing under water outfall. Since average flows are similar, a half and half mixture will produce water
with the same salinity measure as sea water thus reducing the possibility of environmental disturbance.
The existing outfall enables to discharge nearly 15m3/sec at a 55 m depth. More than 75% of this flow
comes from rain water and usually this large amount of liquid is never treated in the plant. The inclusion
of an extra brine load of 3.5 m3/sec will not have any impact.

There are also some disadvantages; the most important one is the reduced space available near the
WWTP. It is essential to compact as much as possible the new desalination building complex. What
proves to be good for brine disposal (through an existing outfall), does not necessary prove good for sea
water intake. The water would have to be taken as far as possible of the waste water discharge area in
order to avoid possible pollution.

Two alternatives have been studied and tested for the intake. Horizontal Drains and Open depth Intake.

4.1 Horizontal Drains

Horizontal Drilling techniques are being used to install horizontal drains into permeable stratum of
marine soil with a direct recharge into the sea. The filtrating pipes are being installed into different
boreholes executed from behind the coast line by drilling into the subsoil towards the sea at the

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previously selected aquifer formation. This bulk, permeable in nature because of porosity and fractures,
ensures the permanent discharge of the marine aquifer.

Figure 8 – Horizontal Drains

A special drain was built in order to test the system. The PE pipe was 355 mm diameter, 280 m length of
which 225 m of the porous type drilled into a permeable sand formation at 5 to 10 m under the sea
bottom. It has been running for over a year with tremendous success, keeping a stable flow of more than
400 m3/h.

On regular basis this drain was backwashed with sea water to avoid filling residues. Under these
premises, in order to obtain 6m3/sec, 40 drains, each with an average of 0.15 m/sec will be needed.

4.2 Open Depth Intake

As its name clearly shows it is simply conduction open into the sea water to enable the taking. There are
several ways to reach the in-taking point depending of the depth type of the coast, soil’s geological
nature and amount of water to extract. In order to fulfill the need of Barcelona’s SWRO, the pipe must
be larger of approximately 2 m diameter. To reduce river impact in water quality, it is advisable to move
2 km off shore where the depth is more than 25 m.

A shorter scale model open-intake was performed, but this test was less conclusive. Using the same
horizontal drilling technology, a 1.2 km hole was bore off shore so as to introduce a PE pipe of 325 mm
diameter into the sea. The water was taken at a depth of 12 m in a maximum flow up to 80 m3/h.

4.3 Demonstration R.O. Plant

Both horizontal drain and open intake feed the pilot plant. It was built in order to test all processes for
the final SWRO plant. The idea was not so much to serve as lab components but to function with real
life size components. The pilot plant had two different process lines working in parallel. The first one
was mechanically mixed flocculation, flotation, two stages of pressure filtration, cartridge filtration,
reverse osmosis and remineralization. The other one was hydraulically mixed flocculation,
sedimentation two stages of pressure filtration, cartridge filtration, reverse osmosis and remineralization.
The two of them were fed with water from the open intake and also with water from the horizontal drain.

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 Figure 9 – Demonstration Plant

The tests results, done with both intakes (open and drains), indicated very similar behaviors, with a
slight improvement in SDI levels favoring the drain method, though in the open intake the water was
taken from 12m depth instead of 26m depth. In either case, flotation obtained better results.

V. FINAL DECISIONS. ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS

Environmental conditions have been pivotal to help making a final decision. A comparison between
both alternatives shows less need for surface dedicated to the open intake pumping facility. Regarding
the specially protected Bird Reserve an important restriction has been made: all work must be stopped
during the nesting season (between March and September). This situation makes it impossible the
building of horizontal drains where they were originally envisioned. Two years would have been
necessary in order to finish. Only the small area near the airport’s runway is not being affected by this
restriction but it was not big enough to easily place the necessary drains or to prepare the pipes for an
open intake.

The first intake studies clearly point the outfall’s tremendous success at the nearby waste-water plant.
The diameter was similar (2.4 m) though longer and reaches a depth of 60 m. The conduction is a steel
pipe coated with reinforced in concrete. The pipe was prepared on shore in 150 m rods joined together at
the same time they were been pulled into the sea. The outfall was hauled into a previously dug trench.
This procedure needs a minimum surface close to the shore of 5 Ha which is unavailable at present.

Another important aspect is the water temperature. Our SWRO is intended to supply water for human
consumption therefore it must comply with very demanding regulations, particularly a low level of
Boron, since Boron retention in RO membranes decreases dramatically once exposed to temperatures of
approximately 22º up to 23ºC. To accomplish this it is necessary to introduce a double pass RO system
in order to keep the Boron concentration levels below official guidelines. This increases the plant’s
operational costs. During the summer in 2007, exhaustive water sampling was performed at different
depth levels. The results showed that only for a few days water temperature was higher than 22ºC at a
depth of 22-26 m, while for the most part of the summer temperature changed at 12 m depth.

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 Figure 10 – Sea temperatures

5.1 Open Depth Intake

A final decision was reached in favor of an open depth intake. The only condition was as to the
possibility of having pipes big enough to feed the SWRO and that those pipes could be manufactured,
prepared and sunk into the sea without using any shore surface. On figure 11 there is a table which
summarizes the main parameters involved in the final decision.

The exact point for the water intake depended on various conditions. The pumping station on the shore
needed to be fixed near the airport’s take off runway. In order to avoid turbidity caused by the river
flooding a safety distance of 2 km from the coast must be met. Since it was best to extract the water as

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far as possible of the waste-water outfall’s discharge it was consider a safety distance of 3 km. A depth
of more than 20 m had to be achieved to guarantee water quality.

Figure 11 – Decision parameters table

Other major decision element taken into consideration when reaching a decision was the fact that some
years ago some artificial reef barriers had been placed 1.5 km off shore so as to increase the marine life
in the area. The results had been outstanding and it would certainly be inconvenient to damage it. Figure
12 illustrates this point.

DRACE medioambiente studied both different technologies used for placing a tube on the sea bottom
without any disturbance to land surfaces. Short length tubes connected on the bottom of the sea or long
length tubes prepared far from the area in calmer waters and later on towed and sunk on site. For this,
different kinds of tubes were considered: metallic, concrete or polyester for the first and metallic or
polyethylene for the longer length tubes.

Sea bottom profile near the coast is flat, so this could constitute a problem so as to reach shore with the
large ships necessary to install the tubes one by one. Serious damages to the tubes may occur if heavy
weather occurs during the installation process, especially if these are not properly protected. Taking this
possible scenario into account a decision was made in favor of long length tubes, either metallic or PE
pipes. The first material mentioned above has greater advantages in terms of strength and the capacity to
make it as big as it is needed.

On the other hand, it is not the best material to remain in prolonged contact with sea water due to
corrosion and also iron content particles may affect treatment processes. Stainless Steel materials are the
exception, but carrying higher costs. Polyethylene it is more and more frequently used for this sort of
application and tubes produced from extrusion are quite strong. But there is a problem with that, the
only diameter manufactured at present is 2m and we certainly need a wider one.
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 Figure 12 – Open intake and drains location

At present the thought of installing more than one parallel pipe had been under consideration. It is
slightly more expensive, but allows maneuvering space for a more flexible management of the plant
since pipes can be closed for maintenance purposes while water in-taking can continue through the other
line. This was the final adopted solution in full agreement with ATLL.

The selected diameter for two pipes as 1.800 mm. Usually, Polyethylene pipes are manufactured in
lengths of 12-15 m, transported by truck and joint by thermo fusion into large rods near the site. Then,
the rods are put into still waters to ballast and after that towed away to the sinking point. In the case of
Barcelona, DRACE medioambiente decided on long length pipes manufactured like that from the
beginning and later on towed by ship.

5.2 SWRO Water Treatment Line

Following the outcome conclusions from the pilot plant, SWRO treatment line lay out is as it is shown
in the diagram down below.

Shortly after the marine intake reaches land, there is a pumping station equipped with pre-automatic
washing grilling system in place. Water is pumped as far as 3km, crossing under the river until it reaches
the RO Plant.
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 BARCELONA DESALINATION PLANT , PROCESS DIAGRAM

POST-TREATMENT
CO2+ 32 cells Limestone filters

REVERSE OSMOSIS 2nd pass

(2 TRAINS)

REVERSE OSMOSIS 1sttpass CONDUCTION TO NETWORK

(10 TRAINS) (1x 1 400 mm Ø)

TANK and TREATED WATER PUMPING

(5 PUMPS)

PRESSURE FILTRATION
(20 Double bed Filters)

MICROFILTRATION
(18 Cartridge Filters)

BRINE and WASHWATER to

ENERGY RECOVERY WASTEWATER OUTFALL
230 ERI units

PRESSURIZE PUMPING
(12 PUMPS)

EFLUENTS TREATMENT

SLUDGE DISPOSAL

GRILLIN

OPEN FILTRATION
(20 Double bed Filters)
FLOCULATION,
FLOTATI

SEAWATER PUMPING
(6 PUMPS)

DEPTH SEAWATER
INTAKE (2 Ø 1800)

Figure 13 – SWRO water treatment line

The pre-treatment line supports a thin grill, hydraulic mixed flocculation, 10 flotation cells, 20 gravity
double filters (sand and porous stone), intermediate pressure pumping, 20 pressure double filters (sand
and anthracite) and 18 cartridge filters.

Pre-treated water reaches 10 RO racks, each with a 20.000 m3/day production, among 220 pressure
vessels. Energy recovery is being made through an Energy Recovery Device, ERI, which enables more
than 40% energy saving. In case there is need to reduce Boron content levels, a second pass in the RO is
in place. The product-water is then re-mineralized inside 32 up-flow cells by adding CO2 and limestone.

The floated sludge already separated in the floating devices along with the water used in filter cleaning
is then directed to the gravity thickeners and then it is dewatered inside centrifuge decanters.

5.3 Brine Disposal

Specific studies have been carried out to analyze the possible effect on the waste-water outfall due to
brine coming from the SWRO. The 2.4 m diameter outfall pipe was built in 2001 simultaneously with
the WWTP pre-treatment complex and even though its starting operations were carried out through a
very simple water treatment, the resulting outcome showed a remarkable increase in water quality of
nearby beaches. Year after year the WWTP treatments were improved, first through biological sludge
reactors and nutrient removal and finally with a tertiary treatment. It is obvious that such an elaborate
system was not envisioned just to throw back water into the sea, but to re-use it.
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 Figure 14 – SWRO under construction
Waste water reaches the sea at a depth of 50-60m trough 12 diffusers placed every 50m. Until now the
only affection to the existing environment is an increase of life due to the nutrients coming from the
waste water. Brine coming from SWRO is basically clean water but slightly salty. Average WWTP flow
is 300,000 m3/day while brine shows an average figure of 200,000 m3/day. The salt concentration as a
result of the mixing of these two types of water is similar to sea water. Only when there is simultaneous
intense re-using process of purified water in progress and substantive reduction in the amount of water
given back to the sea takes place, the desalination capability is in full progress with a resulting outcome
of a higher salinity level mixture than that from the sea. Even considering this scenario, the salt
concentration levels will be less than brine levels alone.

VI. INTAKE EXECUTION

6.1 Manufacturing and Pipe Transportation

Figure 15 – Manufacturing of pipes

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Polyethylene 1.800 mm diameter pipes were directly supplied by the PIPELIFE factory in Stahelle,
Norway where they were manufactured through continuous extrusion technology using a type PE 100
polyethylene raw matter. Pipes go directly into de water in a fjord lengthening more than 500 m. Pipe
thickness measure 60 mm (SDR30) except the deeper segments which measure 70 mm (SDR26). Not all
the rods are of the same length; the ones nearer to the shore are in fact shorter in order to simplify
connection with the pumping station.

Figure 16 – Towed of the pipes

A total of 10 rods were joined together and towed around half of Europe to its final destination, the
Barcelona Harbor. The trip took 3 weeks and the cargo withstood heavy seas at the Channel crossing
followed by a three day delay in Cadiz due to strong winds before it could continue its route through the
Gibraltar Strait.

6.2 In-Harbor Ballasting

Pipes were moored at a Barcelona Harbor pier. Since Polyethylene is lighter than water, it is necessary
to increase its weight in order to be sunk. For this purpose, round concrete ballasts weighting 4.8 tons
each have been positioned every 7.5 m. The average ballast is approximately 15% of the amount of
water displacement.

Figure 17 - Ballasts positioning and pipe ready to install

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6.3 Pipe Dredging and Anchoring

In order to ensure enough protection to conduction it is well advised to place pipes into a trench. To
achieve this, two different dredging devices were used. A cutter dredger device was used near the shore
until it reached 15 m depth in sea-land oriented direction. In deeper waters the chosen tool was a suction
trailing dredge.

To achieve minimum impact on the beach a cofferdam (metal sheet-pile safety area) was built in.
Special concrete let in-through walls along with the pumping station’s wall were used enabling all works
to be carried through under water while the station’s interior remained dry.

Figure 18 – Coferdam and cutter dredger vessel

The already ballasted pipes were towed from the harbor stretch by stretch. The sinking of each of the
segments was strictly supervised by simulating all the established parameters using a specific computer
program as shown in figure 19.
S/No. 001 ZENTECH INTERNATIONAL LTD. 05506107 << ZENRISER >> VER4.3
JOB SINK5D more Buoys
TIME 50.0 TO 2400.0 ZENTECH
ZENRISER

X-Y SNAPSHOT
-5 [m]

10

15

20

25

30

35
-100 0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Horizontal (Y) Coord [m]

Figure 19 – Sinking a pipe at 30 m depth

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At deeper sections it was necessary additional buoying together with a controlled pull in order to keep
the tube in its proper place until final placement on the marine bottom surface. Connection between
sections was achieved through under water flanges.

Figure 20 – Pipes during sinking

6.4 Intake Towers

Building under water structures is always a complex and expensive matter as in our specific scenario at
a depth of 35 m. It was taken into consideration building on a quay thus minimizing under water work.
ATLL wanted to extract water at a depth of 24 to 26m far enough from the bottom surface in order to
avoid turbidity. This scenario required DRACE medioambiente the building of a more than 10 m high
tower which is extremely difficult to move around under the water. The solution was to design a three
piece concrete cylinder joined under water to a pre-strained cable system and later on fully stretched on
site. Both towers are 20 m apart in order to work independently.

Figure 21 – Top of a intake tower

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These towers consist of concrete cylinders 5 m diameter, 12 m high with a polyester grid 100 x 100 mm
in the last segment so as to avoid the entrance of bigger particles. Two small pipes were provided to
inject hypochlorite into the intakes thus preventing biological obstructions.

VII. FINAL CONCLUSIONS

• Environmental aspects are extremely important nowadays; therefore they are a previous
condition to take into account during any decision making process regarding Desalination Plants.

• Main impacts take place during sea water intake, brine disposal and within the plant location
itself. It is best to locate the SWRO near a WWTP so as to reduce environmental impact and
providing mutual support for each other, for example by using the same outfall to discharge brine
and treated waste-water. This is the situation in Barcelona, where ATLL has placed the new
SWRO close to the WWTP and both facilities constitute the biggest, most advanced water
treatment compound in southern Europe.

• Preliminary studies and reduced scale testing have proven useful to help designing a SWRO
plant. In Barcelona, two different kinds of sea water intake (horizontal drains and open depth
intake) have been tested on a pilot plant.

• The existing wetlands near the plant, highly valued from the environmental point of view, have
been a major decision point. Minimum disturbance to birds within their protected habitats has
been taken into account, together with low water temperature. These two facts were decisive in
choosing the open depth intake method.

• Of all the different types of pipes available in the market today, the preferred choice for DRACE
medioambiente has been the PEs, which are manufactured and prepared outdoors, without any
land surface invasion. Double pipe intake was necessary in order to achieve 6m3/sec since a sole
tube proved too big to be manufactured in long segments without welding.

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