Desalination and the Future of Water in Chile
Facing historic drought and rising demand, Chile turns to seawater desalination as a strategic answer to its growing water crisis. ACADES, the Chilean Desalination and Reuse Association.
Chile is a country of extraordinary geographic contrasts: from the world's driest desert in the north to glacial fjords in the south.
This same diversity is mirrored in its water resources—abundant in some regions, critically scarce in others.
In the face of prolonged droughts and mounting climate pressure, Chile is now turning to technology for solutions. At the forefront of this shift is ACADES, the Chilean Desalination and Reuse Association.
What is ACADES?
ACADES (Asociación Chilena de Desalinización y Reúso) is an organization dedicated to promoting the development of seawater desalination and wastewater reuse in Chile.
Founded in May 2021 by a coalition of leading water technology companies in response to the country’s intensifying water crisis, with a clear purpose, to enable Chile’s adaptation by fostering the development of alternative water sources, desalinated seawater and reused wastewater.
Their vision is not minor, that all Chileans and all productive activities—industrial, agricultural, and domestic—can have reliable access to water, through processes that are in harmony with local communities and the environment.
ACADES has grown to encompass over 80 member companies and has become a key player in advocating for sustainable water management practices in Chile.
As you may see below, the big names behind are really impressive!
Why Desalination?
Chile's central and northern regions have been experiencing a historic megadrought since 2007, one of the most severe in recorded history.
Cities like Santiago are undergoing a climate shift from Mediterranean to semi-desert conditions.
As traditional water sources dry up, desalination offers a viable, long-term solution.
The global urgency is evident: cities like Cape Town and Montevideo have faced "Day Zero" scenarios where water supply to homes is nearly shut off.
Chile is determined not to follow that path.
How Does Desalination Work?
Desalination removes salts from seawater, typically using reverse osmosis.
We all remember—at least those subscribed to The Water MBA TV—the fascinating moments of Episode #1, where Rolando Bosleman explained how reverse osmosis (RO) works. In this episode, our guest also touches on the topic.
Chile has 24 desalination plants across 7 regions, mainly in the north, with a total capacity exceeding 10,500 liters per second.
These plants are already supplying cities and industries, especially mining operations.
Debunking Myths: Environmental and Energy Impacts
Critics often raise concerns about energy use, marine life disruption, and brine disposal. Here's what the data shows:
Energy Consumption: Roughly 3–3.5 kWh per cubic meter, equivalent to running a refrigerator for a few hours. Many plants are now (partially) powered by renewable energy sources. Is it more energy intensive than conventional freshwater treatment or waste water reuse? Yes, of course. But how does it compare with other household uses?
Marine Life: Water intake systems are designed to avoid harming aquatic species, using slow intake speeds and filtration.
Brine Disposal: Modern plants use advanced diffusion models to ensure brine mixes safely back into the sea. No significant changes in overall ocean salinity.
The Broader Vision: Water for All Uses
Desalination is no longer just for coastal cities. With projects like Aguas Pacífico, Chile is developing multi-purpose water transport systems, enabling desalinated water to reach inland areas, agriculture, hydrogen production, and lithium mining.
The cost is not trivial—estimates for major plants run between $60–70 million USD—but the cost of water insecurity is far greater, with billions in potential losses from halted development and public health issues.
Chile stands at a crossroads. With ACADES leading the charge, desalination is becoming a pillar of national resilience.
Chile is learning to stop looking to the sky—and start looking to the sea.
Behind the Scenes and New Approach
This is our first episode in which I am not personally present.
I believe that a lot of valuable content has already been created, but it doesn’t always reach the right audience or community.
In 2024, I was in touch with Rafael Palacios, who has been very supportive of our community and genuinely interested in sharing knowledge and offering help.
So, I thought, what’s the purpose of this episode?
It’s about ACADES—what it is, how this water-focused association was recently formed and why, the role of desalination in Chile, and how the future might look in this country.
Back in April, Alberto Kresse, the president of ACADES, gave an excellent speech at the Institute of Engineers of Chile.
So why ask him to repeat the same message if it’s already been shared?
That said, we’re starting to open our platform to those who wish to contribute meaningful and purposeful content. If you have something valuable to share, feel free to reach out to me to discuss further.
ACADES Congress 2026
Save the date: next March, the 2026 ACADES Congress will take place.
Young Water Professionals - Spain - Andalucía
If you're reading this and work in Spain, save the date for a visit to a potable water treatment plant in Huelva.
This 90,000 m³/day facility offers a great opportunity to gain a clear understanding of how the plant operates and the challenges faced in its daily operations.
Global Water Awards
I received some updates from my colleagues who attended the Global Water Summit last week.
For The Water MBA community, I’ve summarized the key award highlights below.
Keep in mind, this is just the surface. There’s much more insight and value hidden beneath, and we’re only beginning to uncover it.
Water Company of the Year: Water.org (you'll find out on June more details…)
Desalination Company of the Year: Veolia
Water Technology Company of the Year: Aquatech
Breakthrough Technology Company of the Year: Salinity Solutions (I've been chasing them since mid-2024, but without success yet!)
Public Water Agency of the Year: Shenzen Water and Environment Group
Desalination Plant of the Year: Tseung Kwan O, Hong Kong (not surprised considering the management level behind the scenes through Sergio Piñuelo Otero)
Water Project of the Year: Yiwu No.3 WTP Expansion, China (I have no details about it)
Wastewater Project of the Year: Madinah, Tabuk, and Buraydah ISTPs, Saudi Arabia (really awesome project)
Industrial Project of the Year: Foshan Jialida dyeing MLD project, China
Water Reuse Project of the Year: Wuhan South Lake Ecological Water Project, China
Water Stewardship Programme of the Year: Danone water stewardship, Indonesia
SDG 6 Champion of the Year: Maynilad Water Services
2025 Water Technology Idol: Blue Brine.
These headlines open new ways to explore. I feel China and South Asia are starting to play a major role. We’ll try to expand the content about these regions during the next season.
If you know anyone that could add value in this regard, please let us know.
What’s Next?
The 2024/2025 season will wrap up with six amazing episodes airing in June and early July.
I wanted to end the season with episodes that truly stand out—ones that bring everything we've shared so far full circle and tie together many of the key themes and moments.
July and August will be our preparation period (phone calls, reading, research, time for “brain valorisation…”, etc) for the upcoming season starting in September/October 2025.
During these 2 months, you’ll receive special articles covering some of our TOP episodes from 2024 that didn’t originally have dedicated write-ups.
Also, for next season, we’re opening the opportunity to include brief sponsorships at the beginning of our articles.
This helps us reinvest any revenue into new features, platform upgrades, and more learning opportunities for our growing community.
If you're interested or want more information → Be Our Sponsor