Evaluating environmental requirements for the management of brine discharges in Spain

Abstract

Desalination activities may have a detrimental impact on the marine environment, caused mainly by hypersaline effluents. The aim of this paper is to assess the quality of Environmental Monitoring Plans (EMPs) of desalination plants in Spain, and the aspects which could be improved to correctly manage brine discharges. A total of 30 desalination projects submitted to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) between 1998 and 2009 have been reviewed. Requirements for the monitoring of brine discharges, and their sampling designs, in the EMPs have improved over time. However, this trend is similar for essential and irrelevant descriptors. Furthermore, the presence of protected species in the area of brine discharges showed a significant increase of requirements. Nevertheless, there was no increase of requirements with respect to a major brine discharge production plant. In conclusion, a review of the EIAs would be advisable to unify the monitoring requirements at the national level, and improving their sampling designs, including the essential descriptors when they are absent, and eliminating irrelevant descriptors when they are present. This standardization should be paid attention to desalination plants with higher brine production as they may have a greater influence on the marine environment.