Work team with the pilot system for sustainable desalination at the Mazarrón WWTP (Murcia, Spain).

The project is entering a new stage of real‑world evaluation, where a technology based on microbial processes will be tested for its ability to reduce the salinity of urban effluents. This phase will be carried out at the Mazarrón wastewater treatment plant (EDAR), managed by the Sanitation and Purification Entity of the Region of Murcia (Esamur), with the aim of generating water resources suitable for agricultural use.

After an initial phase of analysis and laboratory study, the project is moving toward validation tests using urban wastewater from the treatment plant itself. The objective of the pilot plant is to demonstrate the viability of this technology for obtaining water suitable for irrigation from the saline effluent discharged from the treatment plant, with low energy consumption. The proposal aims to increase water resources and improve the quality of treated water for agricultural use in the Murcia region.

Researchers Ana J. Vega de Armas, Juan Manuel Ortiz and Abraham Esteve-Núñez, from the Environmental Bioelectrochemistry Group (Bioe) from IMDEA Agua participated in the design and development of the system. Microbial desalination technology allows for obtaining water with lower salinity from saline effluents generated during wastewater treatment, with reduced energy consumption compared to conventional processes.

The demonstration plant was developed in collaboration between the companies Aquared and Urdemasa (UTE Mazarrón 2022) and the IMDEA Agua Institute, with support from Esamur. Validation testing will continue until June 2026.