This week, a new sanitation and wastewater treatment contract begins in Benicàssim, marking the start of a new phase in the management of the municipal system. For the next four years, Facsa will integrate the management of the wastewater treatment plant, pumping stations, and the sewage and stormwater drainage network—previously provided separately—into a single service, building on the company's more than three decades of experience in the municipality.
The new contract, worth €6.8 million, consolidates the management of the wastewater treatment plant and main pumping stations, municipal pumping stations, and the maintenance of nearly 125 kilometers of sewer and stormwater drainage networks into a single agreement. These services were already being managed by Facsa in the municipality. This integration will allow for a more coordinated and comprehensive approach to the sanitation system, optimize resources, and strengthen the capacity for prevention and response to incidents. All of this is supported by the experience Facsa has accumulated over more than 30 years of uninterrupted management of the Benicàssim wastewater treatment plant.
Main improvements
Digitization will be another key aspect of the service. Facsa will develop a Geographic Information System (GIS) for the entire network, which will provide up-to-date information on the facilities, improve their monitoring, and facilitate more efficient planning of operations.
This digitization will also serve as a basis for advancing towards increasingly preventive and data-driven management, facilitating a greater understanding of the state of infrastructures and better decision-making.
The new contract also includes significant improvements to the Benicàssim wastewater treatment plant, aimed at strengthening its capacity to respond to the municipality's needs and moving towards more efficient and sustainable operation. Among the planned actions are the optimization of treatment processes and the incorporation of measures to reduce energy consumption, such as the installation of photovoltaic panels, which will allow the plant to harness solar energy to cover some of its energy requirements.
Facsa will also develop, in collaboration with the Benicàssim City Council, a Comprehensive Sanitation System Management Plan (PIGSS) that will provide an in-depth understanding of the sewer network's condition and allow for the planning of actions to reduce the environmental impact of overflows during periods of heavy rainfall. This will be achieved using digitization tools and mathematical models to facilitate the identification of needs and the planning of future investments in sanitation and wastewater treatment infrastructure.
Furthermore, the company will strengthen preventive and corrective maintenance to anticipate potential problems and ensure the proper functioning of the infrastructure. With this contract, which follows the recent renewal of the drinking water supply agreement, Facsa continues to offer Benicàssim its extensive experience and technical expertise to advance towards increasingly efficient and sustainable integrated water management.
