Only the plant that will produce the water from the Coquimbo desalination project is under environmental review. The works to carry that water to its delivery points are not, according to Diario Financiero. Experts consulted by the outlet warn that the gap could delay the project and raise its costs.
In October 2024, the government of then-President Gabriel Boric announced that the project had been submitted to the Servicio de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental (SEIA, the system that reviews whether a project complies with environmental regulations). The initiative aims to address the water crisis in one of the regions hardest hit by drought.
The Estudio de Impacto Ambiental (EIA, environmental impact study) submitted that year assumes an investment of US$ 318 million. According to the documents filed with the SEIA, it covers only the water intake and multipurpose water production works. The conveyance infrastructure was left for a second stage, and its study has not yet been submitted.
The Dirección General de Concesiones (DGC, the concessions directorate), which reports to the Ministerio de Obras Públicas (MOP), said the EIA for the conveyance works is out for public tender. The contract is expected to be awarded by the end of 2026, with formal submission to the SEIA by the end of 2027.
The DGC expects to obtain the Resolución de Calificación Ambiental (RCA, the environmental permit that approves a project) for those works no later than the second quarter of 2029.
Agustín Martorell, director of the Asociación Chilena de Desalación y Reúso (Acades, the Chilean desalination and water reuse association), said the different review timelines create uncertainty over schedules and costs. In his view, the conveyance study could take between two and three years, or longer in complex cases.
Martorell said reviewing the pipelines can be as complex as reviewing the plant, because they cross large areas with differing environmental and social conditions. "That gap could postpone the actual delivery of water," he said. He added that administrative or legal challenges could also proceed separately.
Environmental lawyer Jorge Cash raised doubts about the review of the plant itself. He said technical agencies have flagged information gaps and that the MOP has asked to extend the suspension of the procedure so it can respond to their comments. "That delay is worrying," he said.
The DGC ruled out a risk of poor coordination under current conditions. It explained that the concession contract allows the production works to be developed independently and that the tender for the second EIA requires compatibility with the plant's review.
According to the DGC, the detailed engineering is due for approval in the third quarter of 2027, the same period in which it expects the plant's environmental review to conclude. Once those requirements are met, construction could begin. Sacyr, the concessionaire, said it remains committed to the project.
