Tedagua's desalination plants start production of irrigation water on the island of La Palma

On October 23, the portable desalination plants provided by Tedagua were commissioned in record time. The purpose of these plants was to replace the water supply of irrigation systems that were disabled by the Cumbre Vieja volcano, on the island of La Palma.

Tedagua has engaged in unprecedented efforts after the volcanic eruption that left the crops of the coastal region of Los Llanos de Aridane without water, offering an immediate response to the request by the Government of the Canary Islands by providing two portable desalination plants to supply water for the 600 hectares of affected land.

The two plants have a combined production capacity of 5,600 m3/day, using reverse osmosis technology for the seawater desalination process. In addition, that amount was complemented at specific moments by an extra 7,500 m3 from a water tanker vessel loaned by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge. 

The installation of this type of infrastructure usually takes around 5 to 6 months, but after the restless efforts performed during 17 days by Tedagua's team, the ITC, the Government of the Canary Islands, the Local Government of La Palma and other stakeholders, the goal of producing irrigation water for the agricultural projects of the region has been accomplished.

The desalination plants will guarantee the supply of irrigation water to the Los Llanos de Aridane region, especially benefiting the great plantain industry, which exported 144,300 tons of this fruit in 2020, thereby relieving the water supply issues that the volcano is causing.