**Rosarito Desalination Plant to Cost Over 12 Billion Pesos**
A new desalination plant in Playas de Rosarito is set to come with a hefty price tag of over 12 billion pesos, according to Arturo Espinoza Jaramillo, head of the Secretariat of Infrastructure, Urban Development, and Territorial Reorganization (SIDURT). The plant aims to provide fresh water to the coastal regions of Baja California for the next 20 years. The executive project estimates the facility will be able to supply 2.2 cubic meters of desalinated water per second.
The project requires substantial investment, considering the necessary adjustments to the water system in Tijuana and Rosarito. This extensive endeavor is currently under review by several governmental bodies including the Secretariat for Water Management, Sanitation, and Protection, the Ministry of Finance, and the legal department of the state executive.
Espinoza Jaramillo highlighted that the funding would draw from both federal and state sources, though it remains undecided whether the project will proceed through public or private bidding. The land for the plant, formerly owned by NSC Agua, S.A. de C.V., was acquired with federal resources through the National Infrastructure Fund (Fonadin) and Banobras.
This development follows a legal settlement after Aguas de Rosarito S.A.P.I filed a lawsuit against the state government for canceling a previous contract valued at $51 million. The cancellation was made by former Governor Jaime Bonilla Valdez, overturning an agreement established by his predecessor in 2018.
**Secondary Article: Recent Developments in Global Desalination Initiatives**
Globally, desalination is gaining traction as a solution to address water scarcity. Recently, countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have made significant investments in desalination technologies to secure water resources for their arid regions. These facilities employ advanced technologies such as reverse osmosis to turn seawater into potable water, addressing both growing demands and climate change challenges.
The International Water Association reports that desalination capacity is expected to grow by over 20% by the end of the decade, driven largely by Middle Eastern countries’ investments. As these nations pave the way with large-scale projects, they are also sparking interest and research into more efficient and sustainable desalination practices worldwide.