Centro Inox has reported that the territory of the municipality of Reggio Calabria has a system of aqueducts that draw water from the ground water table through wells, many of which are situated near the coast and are therefore characterized by high salt concentrations. The city of Reggio, which gathers 68% of the resident population, is fed by two parallel adduction lines, which transport the water from the well field of Calopinace. In this area a reverse osmosis desalination plant has recently been built. This plant can treat 180l/sec of salty water having an average chloride concentration of 5000mg/l, the threshold limit imposed by the regulations in force. The process chain includes several filtration, pressurization, chemical conditioning, lifting and store stages, to be carried out before the treated water reaches the distribution network to over 40,000 users. In each of the process stages, particularly in the case of pumps and tubes, stainless steels of the types that are more resistant and suited to the foreseen severe use conditions are used. For example, in the salty water pressurization pumps used during the sand filtering stage, and in the treated water pressurization pumps parts made of the super-austenitic EN 1.4539 and EN 1.4593 cast stainless steel can be found. While in high-pressure pressurization pumps, the duplex-type EN 1.4462 steel and EN 1.4517 cast-steel are used, and in the chemical washing pumps titanium EN 1.4571 steel and En 1.4408 cast steel can be found.
