The mayor presents in Europe a sustainable water resource model with a desalination plant powered by solar energy
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José María García Urbano is currently participating in Oslo, representing the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces at the Summit of Leaders of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions. The Estepona desalination plant project, aimed at producing 15 million liters of water per day, is currently in the process of securing land for its construction. Mayor José María García Urbano of Estepona recently defended his sustainable approach to combating drought by utilizing seawater desalination to generate water resources. These desalination facilities are designed to operate efficiently with the use of photovoltaic panels. This statement was made during the Leaders’ Summit and the Political Committee meeting of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), where García Urbano is representing the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP) and serving as the vice-president of CEMR. The focus of the first day of the meeting in Oslo was on the sustainable management of resources, exploring strategies for local and regional governments to address resource scarcity while promoting long-term environmental and social sustainability. In his address, García Urbano highlighted Estepona’s commitment to self-sufficiently generating water resources to combat drought. The city is currently progressing with the construction of a modular desalination plant that can be adapted based on requirements. This initiative is pending approvals for land acquisition and commencement of assembly. With an investment of nearly 20 million euros, the project is expected to produce 15 million liters of water daily, equivalent to the consumption of a population similar to Estepona. García Urbano elaborated on the sustainable water resource generation model, utilizing technology that effectively manages brine disposal issues by returning salt to the sea through propulsion tubes. He also addressed the energy cost associated with desalination, noting that in regions like the Costa del Sol, where there is abundant sunshine, new photovoltaic plants provide sufficient electricity. Previously, high energy costs inflated water prices; however, with the implementation of photovoltaic plants, this major desalination challenge has been overcome.

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Stacey Watson

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