Water. desalination + reuse

REGIONS February-March 2014 | Desalination & Water Reuse | 21 | Addressing the needs of the Desalination industry, Krausz' hydraulic coupling solutions are unsurpassed in performance and quality. MEET THE MARKET'S HIGHEST PERFORMING COUPLING INTERNATIONAL www.krausz.com israelm@krausz.com (+972)-3-515-4000 KRAUSz USA www.krauszusa.com info@krauszusa.com 855-457-2879 or 855-4KRAUSz To get more information about our market-leading products and services, visit or contact us at: Millions of installations worldwide Over 90 years of experience World-class innovation AmERIcAS Chilean politicians launch mining desalination bill A cross-party group of eight deputies in the lower house of the Chilean national congress has submitted a bill to require mining companies using more than 150 L/s of water for extraction purposes to install seawater desalination equipment. The motion, submitted on 10 December 2013, will now be considered by the Committee on Mining and Energy. Desalination plants are already in place, under construction or planned for some major mining projects in the dry north of the country. BHP Billiton, for instance, recently approved US$ 1,972 million financing for a 216,000 m³/d seawater desalination plant to serve its Escondida copper mine. The authors of the bill say that the problem with current initiatives, which result in highly efficient production processes, is that they are not regulated in Chile. The bill's objective, therefore, is to provide legal regulations to make desalination compulsory for all mining companies. Texas creates state desalination committee Following recent severe droughts, a Joint Interim Committee to Study Water Desalination has been created by the legislature in the US state of Texas, including members of both houses. On 16 January 2014, Lt Governor David Dewhurst appointed to the committee Senator Eddie Lucio of Brownsville, who had sponsored the resolution creating it. Brownsville has had a brackish-water desalination plant for a decade and has also pursued a seawater plant. Dewhurst also instructed the Senate Natural Resources Committee to focus on four interim charges to study: • The use of brackish water • The regulation of the state's water supply • Environmental permitting delays • Implementation of legislation passed during the last session, including House Bill 4 which created the state water implementation fund. He will continue to add to these interim tasks in the coming weeks. Members of the joint interim committee currently include: • Sen Craig Estes (Chair), Wichita Falls • Sen Troy Fraser, Marble Falls • Sen Glenn Hegar, Katy • Sen Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, McAllen • Sen Eddie Lucio, Jr, Brownsville. "I believe we have a moral, ethical and legal obligation to provide this essential human need for our citizens," concluded Dewhurst. "Through these committees and interim charges, I am confident that Texas is continuing in the right direction that will only strengthen our economy."

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