Securing Puerto Madryn's water supply

The rhythm of the tides is a familiar feeling in Puerto Madryn, a coastal city in the Chubut province of Argentina. Located on the sheltered bay of Golfo Nuevo, Puerto Madryn supports a diverse range of marine life year-round. Southern right whales breed from May to December, while Magellanic penguins arrive in September and fledge in April. The city's beaches and mudflats are important feeding and resting grounds for flamingoes, rheas, and guanacos. Across the bay, the rocky Valdes Peninsula is home to elephant seals, which are preyed on by orcas.

Water solutions for a thriving town

Ecotourism is popular in this region, as visitors come from all over to appreciate the wildlife and natural beauty. Birdwatching, snorkeling and diving, and sunbathing are all popular pastimes for locals and travelers alike. Accommodations range from budget hostels to luxury hotels, while cultural and dining options offer similar variety. This vibrant town is growing rapidly, creating water supply challenges particular to the region. Local public services cooperative Servicoop sought the help of KLINGER Argentina, knowing their reputation for fluid control solutions.

Are you curious about how the pressure reducing station was delivered and installed? Watch the video.

Navigating the currents: Puerto Madryn's quest for water stability

While officials tried to balance the constantly shifting demand for water, they knew they needed a better solution. The current system was not rated to handle the necessary pressures to fulfill service requirements, leading to intermittent outages. As Servicoop Administration Counsel President Harry Woodley says, "Sometimes in summer, they have to cut some part of the town, or reduce the flow, because they cannot get water for the whole town at the same time.” In some cases, pressure fluctuations led to pipe ruptures, which required immediate and costly repair. Further, such damage was concerning from an environmental perspective, which was also a priority in a town that thrives on ecotourism.

Eco-conscious water management

Further complicating the water load was the city’s industrial needs. Aluminum production, fishing, and agriculture are important to the local and national economy, and Puerto Madryn’s strategic location ensures that demand for its products and services will only grow over time. Despite these many aspects all competing for limited resources, the city was dedicated to finding a green solution to its water needs. “They don't waste water, they reuse,” says Emanuel Brizuela, Sales Executive for KLINGER Argentina. “They have treatment plants, they reduce, they don't leave the water to the sea. They are a very conscious city, a thinking country. Here in South America we are conscious about the Earth.” After consulting with local experts, the team agreed that a DN 300mm pressure reducing station, connecting the main reserve to a secondary reserve, would provide sufficient flow control for downstream needs.

Collaborative engineering for sustainable water management

Because this project would require taking the system offline, everything had to be aligned perfectly to minimize down time. KLINGER Argentina and Servicoop coordinated with province officials, ensuring that product delivery and installation would not be delayed by red tape or logistics. As Servicoop Head of Operations, Rodolfo Jaramillo was familiar with the steps needed to smooth the way: “With all these sectors—engineering, logistics, beneficiations, people in the field—everything has to happen fast. The cost of the water, people going without water, the money that you waste repairing, all of these mean it has to go fast. We had to be very well coordinated in order to do the work in a fast way and in a proper way.” From ideation to bringing the system back online, the project took only 180 days. One key piece in the timing process was delivering the reducing station in pre-assembled sections, minimizing assembly time and ensuring joint integrity. KLINGER Argentina’s supply chain experts were on hand to determine the maximum delivery sizes that the town's infrastructure could support, balancing convenience with the practicalities of road delivery.

Gearing up for Puerto Madryn's growth

With this project successfully completed, the team is looking forward to further expansion as Puerto Madryn continues to grow. Robust industrial sectors, a thriving tourism industry, and a burgeoning population will require additional upgrades and more advanced technical solutions to meet local water needs. As Cristian shares, “Engineering is already thinking about another station like this, because the population is growing very fast. Maybe a few years is enough, or maybe less.” With a crew of proven experts on the case, rolling with the tides will keep Puerto Madryn on the right track.