Introduction

Water scarcity has become a critical issue in many countries due to limited freshwater reserves, rapid population growth, and climate change. Among the most common approaches to addressing this challenge and producing potable water are desalination plants, which serve as a reliable solution to meet rising water demand in various sectors worldwide. Despite the high costs associated with desalination, a significant number of such facilities have been constructed globally, particularly in the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean region, to supply drinking water. For example, the total desalination capacity in the Persian Gulf increased from 3,000 million cubic meters per year in 2,000 to 5,000 million cubic meters per year in 2012, and it is projected to reach 9,000 million cubic meters per year by 2030. The Isfahan Industrial Water Supply Project, sourcing water from the Persian Gulf, has been under study since late 2019. The project, commissioned by the Isfahan Water Supply Company (IWASCO) and managed by Zayand-Ab Consulting Engineers, aims to identify suitable intake locations, desalination options, and transmission routes. Various alternatives along the western and eastern coasts of the Persian Gulf were evaluated. The western sites were considered for their shorter transmission routes, while the eastern sites offered the advantage of utilizing existing infrastructure from the ongoing "Persian Gulf Water Supply and Transmission Project for Southeastern Industries." Based on economic, technical, environmental, social, and national security (passive defense) criteria, the eastern coast of Hormozgan Province was selected as the preferred option, and further detailed studies have been initiated accordingly. The current study focuses on the site selection and conceptual design of the seawater intake and desalination facilities for supplying industrial water to Isfahan, specifically within the eastern coast of Hormozgan Province. The main components of the study include:

• Site selection for the seawater intake and desalination plant
• Wave hydrodynamic studies at the selected intake site
• Current hydrodynamic studies at the intake site
• Sediment transport and coastal morphology assessments
• Seawater quality analysis at the intake location
• Required geotechnical investigations for the intake area
• Technical and economic comparison of intake and brine disposal methods, and selection of the optimal option
• Conceptual design of the marine intake and brine outfall system
• Conceptual design of the onshore intake facilities
• Conceptual design of the desalination process
• Assessment of power supply options for the selected site
• Conceptual site layout planning