Mining Studies Analyst, Chilean Copper Commission (Cochilco)
For decades, desalination was largely viewed as a technology of last resort, used only when conventional water sources were no longer available. That perception is rapidly changing.
Water scarcity is becoming one of the defining challenges of our time. Climate change, increasing demand, and growing competition among water users are forcing countries and industries to rethink how water security can be achieved in the long term.
Against this backdrop, the discussion around desalination is increasingly becoming part of what could be described as a broader “water transition” a structural shift in how water resources are managed, supplied, and governed. This transition goes beyond technology or the construction of new desalination plants. It reflects a deeper structural change in how water systems are supplied, planned, financed, and governed as societies adapt to increasing water stress and climate uncertainty.
Chile offers an interesting perspective on this process.
Although every country faces different hydrological, institutional, and social conditions, the Chilean experience illustrates some of the opportunities and challenges that may emerge when desalination begins to move from being an alternative source of water to becoming strategic infrastructure.
The Water Transition in Chile’s Copper Mining Sector
Chile is the world’s largest copper producer and holds approximately 18% of global copper reserves. Copper mining represents around 13% of the country’s GDP and nearly 60% of total exports. At the same time, most copper mining operations are concentrated in northern Chile, one of the driest regions on Earth.
As a result, water availability has become a strategic issue not only for mining operations, but also for the country’s long-term development.
Over the past decade, increasing water scarcity, declining availability of continental water resources, and growing social and environmental expectations have accelerated the search for alternative water sources.
Chile is not only expanding desalination capacity; it is transforming the way the mining sector secures water.
Ten years ago, desalination was still considered a complementary solution for a limited number of operations. Today, it is becoming the backbone of water supply for a growing share of Chilean copper production.
The most significant change has not been an increase in total water demand, but rather a structural shift in the composition of water sources. According to projections developed by the Chilean Copper Commission (Cochilco), Chilean copper mining is approaching a turning point in the way it sources water.
Seawater demand in copper mining is expected to increase by approximately 85% between 2024 and 2034, rising from around 7.5 m³/s to nearly 14 m³/s. During the same period, continental water use is projected to decrease by almost 39%.
Consequently, seawater is expected to represent approximately 68% of total water supply in copper mining by 2034, compared with around 41% in 2024. In addition, approximately three quarters of this seawater is expected to be desalinated.
These figures reveal a significant structural transformation. The sector’s adaptation to water scarcity has been driven primarily by the replacement of water sources rather than by a significant reduction in water consumption.
Today, desalination plants supplying Chilean copper mining operations have an installed capacity of approximately 6,800 liters per second. Projects currently under development could add more than 7,800 additional liters per second over the coming years. If all planned projects move forward, total desalination capacity could exceed 14,600 liters per second within the next decade.
This suggests that desalination is no longer just an industrial solution, but an increasingly important part of long-term water security.
Beyond Technology: Desalination as Strategic Infrastructure
The more interesting story, however, is not only the technology itself but also the institutional and governance frameworks being built around it.
Unlike traditional freshwater sources, desalinated water depends on infrastructure investments, energy availability, coastal access, and long-term planning. As desalination becomes increasingly important, governance becomes just as critical.
In March 2026, Chile approved a new legal framework specifically designed for seawater desalination projects. The new law replaces a fragmented system of maritime concessions with a dedicated framework covering seawater intake, treatment facilities, pipelines, and brine discharge systems.
It also establishes legal easements for infrastructure development, introduces a National Desalination Strategy, strengthens the technical role of the national water authority (DGA), and allows certain projects to reserve up to 5% of their capacity for human consumption.
More importantly, the law signals a broader institutional recognition that desalination is no longer an isolated industrial activity, but rather a strategic component of national water security.
In many ways, this new framework reflects the institutional dimension of Chile’s ongoing water transition.
Another interesting aspect of Chile’s experience has been the emergence of new infrastructure models. Historically, mining companies built, owned, and operated their own desalination plants. Today, this traditional model coexists with BOO (Build-Own-Operate) and BOOT (Build-Own-Operate-Transfer) structures, in which third parties finance, build, and operate infrastructure under long-term agreements.
At the same time, multipurpose projects are beginning to emerge. In these schemes, mining companies act as anchor customers, enabling investments that may eventually support utilities, industrial users, and local communities.
Projects such as Aguas Pacífico and Huasco Water illustrate how mining-driven investments could contribute to broader regional water security objectives.
Although these models are still evolving, they may provide opportunities to improve economies of scale, reduce infrastructure duplication, optimize territorial use, and strengthen regional resilience.
The future of desalination may therefore depend not only on producing water, but also on creating infrastructure capable of serving multiple users and objectives.
Building More Resilient Water Systems
Despite this progress, significant challenges remain.
One of the most important concerns is the relationship between water and energy. Desalination and long-distance pumping systems require considerable amounts of energy, particularly in Chile, where many mining operations are located hundreds of kilometers from the coast and at elevations exceeding 3,000 meters above sea level.
The long-term sustainability of desalination will therefore depend, in part, on its integration with renewable energy development and broader decarbonization strategies.
Another challenge concerns territorial governance. As desalination infrastructure expands, issues such as coastal land use, environmental permitting, infrastructure corridors, and relationships with local communities become increasingly complex.
Future success may therefore depend as much on institutional coordination and long-term territorial planning as on technological improvements.
Hydrological, social, and institutional conditions differ considerably among countries. For this reason, Chile’s experience should not be viewed as a blueprint to be replicated elsewhere.
Rather, it can be seen as an evolving experience that illustrates some of the dynamics that may become increasingly relevant in other water-stressed and resource-intensive regions.
Ultimately, the future of desalination may not be defined solely by technological advances, but by its ability to support the transition toward more resilient, integrated, and climate-adapted water systems.
In that sense, Chile’s experience illustrates how desalination can evolve from a technological solution into a cornerstone of long-term water security. As water scarcity intensifies worldwide, the lessons emerging from this transition may become increasingly relevant for other mining regions facing similar challenges.
