PHOENIX – November 02, 2026 -- Arcadis (EURONEXT: ARCAD) will serve as lead engineering firm for the appraisal of the proposed Northern Gulf of California Desalination Project, a concept that could ultimately make up to 500,000 acre-feet of water supply available to Arizona.
The Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona (WIFA) Board of Directors has approved Stage 1 of its multi-stage appraisal process. Arcadis will work alongside Sacyr Water and the wider project team to provide engineering and technical analysis for WIFA.
Stage 1 authorizes analysis only, with no development or funding decision
Stage 1 covers initial analysis. It does not constitute a decision on project development or future funding, which WIFA will evaluate separately based on the appraisal results. WIFA's process tests each potential new water source for technical, financial, environmental, cultural, and regulatory viability.
Study will evaluate geothermal power for desalination and conveyance
The study will assess a desalination facility and associated conveyance infrastructure. A distinctive feature of the concept is the evaluation of geothermal energy as a potential renewable power source for both the desalination and conveyance systems.
The work is structured across six tasks:
- project management
- technical evaluations
- environmental and cultural evaluations
- regulatory and contractual evaluations
- society and community evaluations
- cost, financial and commercial evaluations
Arcadis leads the technical, environmental, and regulatory evaluations and contributes to the remaining tasks.
Arcadis CEO says 500,000 acre-feet potential warrants scrutiny
Arcadis CEO Heather Polinsky said the appraisal will give WIFA the technical information to judge whether desalination backed by renewable energy could strengthen long-term water security, adding that the concept "deserves careful examination." She said Arcadis and Sacyr Water will combine expertise in water, desalination, infrastructure, and renewable energy for the study.