Desalination & Reuse Handbook - Flipbook - Page 14
IDA
WATER SECURITY
HANDBOOK
Seawater & Brackish Water Desalination
Summary
2019 rivalled 2007 as the biggest year on record for seawater and brackish water desalination, with 6.4 million m3/d of
new contracted capacity, 5.2 million m3/d of which was awarded in the first half of the year. The market is expected to
remain strong despite disruption from COVID-19, with a further 3.4 million m3/d contracted by October 2020. Municipal
demand has proved resilient but industrial desalination has taken a larger hit, primarily due to low prices of commodities
such as oil and copper. This has significantly slowed investment and reduced demand in associated industries.
Capacity (million m3/d)
Incremental contracted and online desalination capacity by year, since 1990
8
Contracted - full year
7
Contracted - 1st half
Contracted - 2nd half
6
Online capacity
5
4
3
2
1
0
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
Source: GWI DesalData / IDA
Dotted line indicates values through June 2020
Cumulative contracted and online desalination capacity, since 1965
100
Awarded
Online
Capacity (million m3/d)
80
60
40
20
0
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
2020
Source: GWI DesalData / IDA
Dotted line indicates values through June 2020
4
