Developed in the Atacama Region and funded by Mitsubishi Corporation Inversiones Limitada, Chile (MCI), this project aims to develop a water supply planning software, open to all interested parties, that can be used by the mining industry, government agencies, communities and other stakeholders to design an integrated, efficient water supply model, while minimizing supply costs and environmental impacts.
Conducted over three years by a team of 12 Chilean and international researchers, the work presents a model for participatory planning that sustainably integrates desalinated seawater into a regional water supply network in water-scarce regions. The project proposes developing integrated water supply systems that increase access for all users while minimizing the unit costs and environmental impacts associated with the supply and use of water resources. This supports the transition from individual water supply systems that heighten pressure on single sources to integrated systems that optimize the use of resources.
The tool facilitates collaborative understanding of the regional context, optimizes and maps water supply networks and evaluates the associated benefits based on economic, environmental and social performance criteria. Video about project (1st year)