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Desalination by Country 2024
Desalination is a technique used to filter water that contains salt and convert it into more usable water or refined for potable (drinkable) water. There are over 16,000 desalination plants in 177 countries. Many are micro plants, especially used to create cleaner water used for fracking in oil extraction.
Here is a list of large operating desalination plants that have a daily capacity of 100,000 cubic meters per day or are the largest plant in a particular country.
- Total shown for the Channel Islands includes output from the Britannia plant, converted from gallons to m³. Totals for additional Cayman Islands plants are not included.
Country | # of Plants | Total Capacity (m3) | Total Capacity (yd3) |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 413 | 795,958 | 1,041,073 |
| Egypt | 82 | 1,400,000 | 1,828,135 |
| United Arab Emirates | 10 | 304,400 | 398,140 |
| Algeria | 9 | 2,120,000 | 2,760,000 |
| South Africa | 7 | 25,650 | 33,515 |
| Australia | 7 | 1,625,000 | 2,123,000 |
| Singapore | 6 | 869,880 | |
| Saudi Arabia | 5 | 2,708,990 | 3,543,410 |
| Israel | 5 | 1,699,000 | 2,221,000 |
| Kuwait | 5 | 2,238,000 | 2,927,000 |
| India | 2 | 200,000 | 260,000 |
| Sweden | 2 | 7,980 | 10,443 |
| China | 1 | 200,000 | 260,000 |
| Mexico | 1 | 27,648 | 36,162 |
| Germany | 1 | 150,000 | 200,000 |
| Morocco | 1 | 400,000 | 520,000 |
| Kazakhstan | 1 | 74,000 | 97,000 |
| Chile | 1 | 100,000 | 130,000 |
| Palestine | 1 | 600 | 785 |
| Oman | 1 | 281,000 | 368,000 |
| Qatar | 1 | 160,000 | 210,000 |
| Bahrain | 1 | 272,760 | 356,760 |
| Cyprus | 1 | 64,000 | 84,000 |
| Malta | 1 | 20,000 | 26,000 |
| Maldives | 1 | 11,000 | 14,000 |
| Barbados | 1 | 30,000 | 39,000 |
| Aruba | 1 | 42,000 | 54,958 |
| Cayman Islands | 1 | 9,085 | 11,883 |
| Total | 569 |
Country | Plant Name | Daily Capacity (Cubic Meters) | Daily Capacity (Cubic Yards) | City and Territory | Date of Completion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algeria | Beni Saf Desalination Plant | 200,000 | 260,000 | Béni Saf, Aïn Témouchent | 2009 |
| Algeria | Hamma Desalination Plant | 200,000 | 260,000 | Algiers, Algiers | 2008 |
| Algeria | Cap Djinet Desalination Station (Reverse Osmosis) | 100,000 | 130,000 | Djinet, Boumerdès | 2012 |
| Algeria | Tenes Desalination Plant | 200,000 | 260,000 | Ténès, Chlef | 2015 |
| Algeria | TEC Sonaghter Desalination Plant | 200,000 | 260,000 | Mostaganem, Mostganem | 2012 |
| Algeria | Magtaa Reverse Osmosis (RO) Desalination Plant | 500,000 | 650,000 | Mers El Hadjadj, Oran | 2014 |
| Algeria | Skikda Desalination Plant | 100,000 | 130,000 | Skikda, Skikda | 2009 |
| Algeria | Fouka Desalination Plant | 120,000 | 160,000 | Fouka, Tipaza | 2008 |
| Algeria | Tipaza Desalination Plant | 100,000 | 130,000 | Tipaza, Tipaza | 2008 |
| Algeria | Souk Tlata Desalination Plant | 200,000 | 260,000 | Souk Tlata, Tlemcen | 2011 |
| Algeria | Tlemcen Hounaine Desalination Plant | 200,000 | 260,000 | Honaine, Tlemcen | 2011 |
| Aruba | Bridgetown,Saint Michael | ||||
| Australia | Sydney Desalination Plant | 250,000 | 330,000 | New South Wales, Sydney | 2012 |
| Australia | Gold Coast Desalination Plant | 125,000 | 163,000 | Queensland, Gold Coast | 2009 |
| Australia | Adelaide Desalination Plant | 300,000 | 390,000 | South Australia, Adelaide | 2012 |
| Australia | Victorian Desalination Plant | 410,000 | 540,000 | Victoria, Dalyston | 2012 |
| Australia | Cape Preston Desalination Plant | 140,000 | 180,000 | Western Australia, Cape Preston | 2012 |
| Australia | Perth Seawater Desalination Plant | 130,000 | 170,000 | Perth | 2006 |
| Australia | Southern Seawater Desalination Plant | 270,000 | 350,000 | Binningup | 2012 |
| Bahrain | Al Hidd Desalination Plant | ||||
| Barbados | Ionics Desalination Plant | Bridgetown,Saint Michael | |||
| Cayman Islands | BRITANNIA | Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayma | |||
| Chile | Caldera Desalination Plant | Caldera,Atacama Region | 2022 | ||
| China | Beijing Desalination Plant | Tianjin | |||
| Cyprus | MN Larnaca Desalination Co | Larnaca | |||
| Germany | Combined Desalination Plants for Island | Schleswig-Holstein | |||
| India | Minjur Seawater Desalination Plant, Chennai | 130,000 | Chennai, Tamil Nadu | 2010 | |
| India | Nemmeli Desalination Plant | 130,000 | Nemmeli, Tamil Nadu | 2012 | |
| Israel | Palmachim Desalination Plant, Central | 161,000 | Palmachim, Central | 2007 | |
| Israel | Sorek Desalination Plant | 817,000 | Palmachim, Central | 2013 | |
| Israel | Hadera Desalination Plant | 348,000 | 455,000 | Hadera, Haifa | 2009 |
| Israel | Mekorot's Desalination Plant | 274,000 | 358,000 | Ashdod, Southern | 2015 |
| Israel | Ashkelon Desalination Plant | 329,000 | 430,000 | Ashkelon, Southern | 2005 |
| Kazakhstan | Innovation Projects Engineering | Mangystau | 1967 | ||
| Kuwait | Shuaiba North Desalination Plant | 136,000 | 178,000 | Ahmadi, Mina Abd Allah | |
| Kuwait | Shuaiba South Desalination Plant | 205,000 | 268,000 | Ahmadi, Mina Abd Allah | |
| Kuwait | Az Zour Desalination Plant | 524,000 | 685,000 | Zour | |
| Kuwait | Shuwaikh Desalination Plant | 225,000 | 294,000 | Capital, Shuwaikh | |
| Kuwait | Doha East Desalination Plant | 191,000 | 250,000 | Jahra, Doha | |
| Kuwait | Doha West Desalination Plant | 502,000 | 657,000 | Jahra, Doha | |
| Kuwait | Subiya Desalination Plant | 455,000 | 595,000 | Subiya | |
| Maldives | Malé Water & Sewerage Compan | Malé, Kaafu Atoll | |||
| Malta | Għar Lapsi Reverse Osmosis Plant | Siġġiewi | 1982 | ||
| Mexico | 1960 | ||||
| Morocco | Chtouka Aitbaha Desalination Plan | Chtouka Aït Baha | 2022 | ||
| Oman | Barka 4 Desalination Plant | Ar Rumays | 2018 | ||
| Palestine | 600 | 784 | 1997–99 | ||
| Qatar | Ras Abu Fontas | 160,000 | 210,000 | Doha, Al Wakrah | 1981 |
| Saudi Arabia | Saline Water Conversion Corporation | 1,009,000 | 1,320,000 | Jubail | 2000 |
| Saudi Arabia | Saline Water Conversion Corporation | 432,280 | 565,400 | Khobar | 2000 |
| Saudi Arabia | Saline Water Conversion Corporation | 364,000 | 476,000 | 1994 | |
| Saudi Arabia | Shuaiba Desalination Plant SWCC | 582,290 | 761,610 | 2001 | |
| Saudi Arabia | Saline Water Conversion Corporation | 321,420 | 420,400 | 2000 | |
| Singapore | SingSpring, Tuas | 178,319 | 2005 | ||
| Singapore | Sungei Tampines | 5,239 | 2007 | ||
| Singapore | Tuas South, Tuas | 416,477 | 2013 | ||
| Singapore | Tuas | 179,231 | 2017 | ||
| Singapore | Marina East | 179,231 | 2020 | ||
| Singapore | Jurong Island | 179,231 | 2022 | ||
| South Africa | Mossel Bay | 19,647 | Western Cape, South Africa | ||
| South Africa | Transnet Saldanha | 3,142 | Western Cape, South Africa | ||
| South Africa | Knysna | 2,619 | Western Cape, South Africa | ||
| South Africa | Plettenberg Bay | 2,619 | Western Cape, South Africa | ||
| South Africa | Bushman's River Mouth | 2,355 | Eastern Cape, South Africa | ||
| South Africa | Lambert's Bay | 2,221 | Western Cape, South Africa | ||
| South Africa | Cannon Rocks | 750 | 981 | Western Cape, South Africa | |
| Spain | Alicante II | 85,019 | Inima | ||
| Spain | Tordera | 78,475 | |||
| Spain | Barcelona | 261,932 | Degremont El Prat, near Barcelona | ||
| Spain | Oropesa | 65,484 | Técnicas Reunidas | ||
| Spain | Moncofa | 78,475 | Inima | ||
| Spain | Marina Baja – Mutxamel | 65,484 | Degremont | ||
| Spain | Torrevieja | 314,219 | Acciona | ||
| Spain | Cartagena Escombreras | 82,472 | Cobra, Tedagua | ||
| Spain | Edam Ibiza + Edam San Antonio | 32,742 | Ibiza, Portmany | ||
| Spain | Mazarron | 47,145 | Tedagua | ||
| Spain | Bajo Almanzora | 85,019 | |||
| Sweden | 480 | 628 | Herrvik | ||
| Sweden | 7,500 | 9,824 | |||
| United Arab Emirates | Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority | 19,596 | 2010 | ||
| United Arab Emirates | Khor Fakkan | 29,394 | |||
| United Arab Emirates | Ghalilah RAK | 88,959 | |||
| United Arab Emirates | Hamriyah | 117,917 | |||
| United Arab Emirates | Taweelah A1 Power and Desalination Plant | 385,000 | 503,470 | ||
| United Arab Emirates | Aqua Engineering | 35,326 | |||
| United Arab Emirates | CH2MHill | 29,394 | |||
| United Arab Emirates | Aqua EPC | 26,158 | |||
| United Arab Emirates | Umm Al Nar Desalination Plant | 394,000 | 515,048 | ||
| United Arab Emirates | Al Yasat Al Soghrih Island | 2,000,000 | 2,615,810 | ||
| United Kingdom | Thames Water Desalination Plant | 150,000 | 196,474 | 2010 | |
| United States | El Paso | 104,099 | 136,136 | El Paso, Texas | 2004 |
| United States | Claude "Bud" Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant | 189,271 | 247,568 | California | 2015 |
| United States | Concord | 75,708 | 98,971 | California | 2000 |
| United States | Tampa Bay Water | 94,635 | 123,824 | Florida | 2004 |
| United States | Yuma | 276,335 | 361,044 | Arizona | 1974 |
| United States | El Paso Plant | 103,558 | 135,304 | Texas | 2004 |
| United States | Claude "Bud" Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant | 189,272 | 247,808 | California | 2015 |
| United States | Concord | 75,708 | 98,923 | California | |
| United States | Cape Coral Plant | 56,781 | 74,233 | Florida | |
| United States | Tampa Bay Water Desalination Project | 94,635 | 123,725 | Florida | 1977 |
| United States | Yuma Desalination Plant | 276,006 | 360,671 | Arizona | 2007 |
State | # State Plants 2023 |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 1 |
| Alaska | 2 |
| Arizona | 10 |
| California | 58 |
| Colorado | 10 |
| Florida | 167 |
| Georgia | 1 |
| Illinois | 12 |
| Iowa | 16 |
| Kansas | 6 |
| Massachusetts | 3 |
| Michigan | 1 |
| Minnesota | 2 |
| Mississippi | 1 |
| Missouri | 2 |
| Montana | 3 |
| Nebraska | 2 |
| Nevada | 2 |
| New Jersey | 3 |
| New York | 2 |
| North Carolina | 18 |
| North Dakota | 7 |
| Ohio | 8 |
| Oklahoma | 2 |
| Pennsylvania | 2 |
| South Carolina | 6 |
| Tennessee | 1 |
| Texas | 52 |
| Utah | 3 |
| Virginia | 6 |
| Washington | 1 |
| West Virginia | 1 |
| Wisconsin | 1 |
| Wyoming | 1 |