The University of Nouakchott has received a pilot desalination plant from the Canary Islands Institute of Technology (ITC). The new facility will strengthen the university’s training and research activities in desalination technologies.
The new pilot plant, with a capacity to desalinate approximately 4,000 litres of water per day, complements an Electrodialysis Reversal (EDR) system previously provided under the E5DES project, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the MAC 2014–2020 Programme.
The University of Nouakchott now has two different desalination technologies, allowing students and PhD candidates to carry out practical activities and compare their results for both training and research purposes.
A specialised seawater desalination training course took place at the university from 21 to 23 July 2026 and was delivered by a desalination expert, who also participated in the opening ceremony, hosted and attended by academic authorities from the University of Nouakchott, including the Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology.
The aim of the training was to share knowledge with participants on the use of the new facility, including its commissioning, operation and maintenance, as well as its applications in teaching and research. A total of five participants attended. All had previous knowledge of desalination and actively took part in the practical activities.
The sessions combined theoretical and practical training. Participants completed the installation of the plant and carried out its first start-up. They also performed practical exercises on measuring chlorine, pH and conductivity, calculating concentrations, and programming the dosing pump. In addition, they used computer tools for plant modelling and automation.
The two available facilities also offer opportunities for professional training in areas related to desalination, such as electrical work, electronics, plumbing and chemistry, both at university level and in vocational education.
Through this initiative, the IDIWATER project strengthens cooperation between the Canary Islands and Mauritania in the field of desalination, supporting knowledge transfer and capacity building through equipment that combines practical training, research, and the comparison of different water treatment technologies.
The initiative is being carried out within the framework of the IDIWATER project, co-financed at 85% by the Interreg MAC 2021–2027 programme, in which the University of Nouakchott is a project partner.
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