Sacyr leads feasibility study for Baja California desalination plant

Sacyr is leading a feasibility study for the Northern Gulf of California Desalination Plant, a project designed to bolster long-term water supplies for Arizona, United States. The Arizona Water Infrastructure Finance Authority (WIFA) has approved the first phase of the proposal's evaluation.

The project involves constructing a desalination plant in Baja California, Mexico, and a pipeline to transport the desalinated water to the Morelos Dam near the Mexico-US border. Once there, the water would be integrated into the Colorado River system for use in Mexico, potentially allowing Mexico to exchange part of its Colorado River water allocation to Arizona.

Initial estimates suggest the infrastructure could increase Arizona's water supply by up to 500,000 acre-feet annually—approximately 1.7 million cubic meters per day—between 2034 and 2039. The study is being conducted by Sacyr alongside Arcadis, which serves as the primary engineering firm, and Plenary Americas. This initial phase will analyze technical, financial, environmental, cultural, and regulatory viability.