Jersey Water plans £6m upgrade for its Rosière desalination plant in British Isles

UK-based water utility firm Jersey Water has submitted a formal planning application for a £6m project aimed at modernising the La Rosière desalination plant in the British Isles.

Jersey Water managing director and engineer Howard Snowden said: "The project has significant benefits for increased energy efficiency, whilst improving the resilience of island’s public water supply in times of low rainfall and drought. The project is planned to commence in 2015 with completion in the spring of 2016."

The company said that the upgrade is expected to increase the daily fresh water production capacity of the plant from the present six million litres to 10.8 million litres, while saving a 36% energy consumption.

Intended as a standby water source, the Reverse Osmosis (RO) desalination plant was set up in 1999, as a replacement to the original facility, which was built in 1970.

The majority of its equipment has become outdated, thereby making the upgrade necessary for the facility, the company said.

According to the plan, a surplus pressure filter, replacement RO membranes, high-pressure pumps and energy recovery equipment will be installed at the facility.

The ongoing upgrade work is unlikely to affect the daily supply for the utility’s customers, nor will it affect the billing, Jersey Water said.

La Rosière desalination plant is a standby facility and tends to be in operation when water resources can become limited during prolonged dry periods and drought.

The island is solely dependent on surface water for its regular public water supply and has only 120 days of storage capacity in its reservoirs.

Besides the planned works within the facility, the project will also carry out external works at the site including setting up of a pressure filter vessel and replacing the existing pipe lines with larger ones.