Veolia's partnership with the Ministry of Defence in Gibraltar
The high, rocky headland of Gibraltar shares a border with Spain to the North and has historically been a base of significant strategic importance for the British Armed Forces. Traditionally, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has been responsible for supplying the Armed Forces with drinking water, as well as filtered seawater for fighting and sanitary services such as toilet flushing.
The water supply infrastructure includes production facilities and a distribution network, separated from the rest of Gibraltar for security reasons. The military distribution network supplies the naval dockyard, visiting ships and the MoD estate, as well as some of the civilian population housed in areas previously owned by the MoD.
Veolia has been working closely with the MoD in Gibraltar for the last 20 years to ensure continued efficiency in the water supply for the armed forces stationed there.
The challenge at Gibraltar
The MoD needed an uninterrupted daily supply of drinking water and filtered seawater. As the original plant had been built within a set of caverns, which had become too hazardous to access, the bespoke plant required a new location. Security and quality of water supply, as well as meeting the high water demand for the fleet at short notice in times of high alert or war, was of utmost importance.
Veolia's Solution
Veolia was contracted by the MoD to design, build, finance and operate the treatment plant. A new seawater desalination plant was designed and constructed in a gorge next to the existing plant, allowing easy access and integration with the infrastructure.
The seawater intakes were also upgraded to facilitate easier maintenance. Disruption to the system had to be minimal, so both plants were operated simultaneously to allow the new plant to reach capacity before the old one was decommissioned.
The high cost of electricity in Gibraltar made energy efficiency a key driver for the design of the new plant. The solution was to provide a seawater reverse osmosis plant with the latest energy recovery system that uses a pressure exchanger, making it more efficient, cheaper to run and less carbon-intensive. The water is re-mineralised, and a chemical dosing system is used to increase calcium and alkalinity levels. The plant also utilises a seawater well alongside the coastal intake to reinforce the water provided to the site.
How Veolia helped the MoD
Veolia has a strong working relationship with the MoD in Gibraltar providing technical support for any water-related issues. The strength of the partnership was put to the test when storm force winds hit Gibraltar, forcing a moored container ship to crash against the shore and spill oil around the desalination plant’s coastal water intake. The MoD were impressed that Veolia was able to deploy key personnel to the region, taking on the risk and responsibility to restore services at the earliest opportunity.
This long term project provides the MoD with a sustainable water supply that:
Complied with environmental regulations and kept to strict security and reliability criteria
Increased recovered energy by 40%, giving the MoD a significant cost saving
Puts the operation and maintenance of the facility into the hands of an experienced operator
Do you have similar challenges?
Contact our team of experts for solutions tailored to your organisation