Built as part of a partnership with a hotel complex, the Marsa Alam water desalination plant in Egypt's Red Sea governorate is now operational. The solar-powered facility was built by KarmWater, the water solutions division of Egyptian company KarmSolar.
KarmWater inaugurated a new water desalination plant in Marsa Alam on 29 May 2023. The plant, located 747.3 km from the Egyptian capital Cairo, is the result of a partnership with Red Sea Diving Safari-Marsa Shagra, one of the oldest hotel complexes in the Red Sea governorate. KarmWater has signed a water purchase agreement (WPA). The plant was inaugurated around two years after work began.
The new plant, with a capacity of 300 m3 per day, will cover 100% of the water requirements of the Red Sea Diving Safari – Marsa Shagra complex throughout the year. The water produced will be supplied “at a competitive price, 25% below the market standard”, says KarmWater.
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The water from the desalination plant will be delivered to guests at the hotel complex via a distribution network. The drinking water can also be used for irrigation in response to water stress. The aim is to improve crop yields. KarmWater reports that the salinity of this water is 42% better than other conventional sources in the Red Sea governorate.
The Marsa Alam desalination plant is 30% solar-powered. This clean energy is supplied by KarmSolar’s Marsa Alam Solar Grid, and the aim is to reach 100% within the next decade. “This development is in line with our overall vision to become a multi-utility provider. Our solar grid in Marsa Alam used to supply electricity to customers in the area. Now, the energy generated will also be used to provide them with a reliable and cost-effective source of water,” explains Ahmed Zahran, CEO of KarmSolar.
Inès Magoum
