IFEMA Madrid hosted the 38th DAQUAS Congress from June 3rd to 5th, one of the leading events in the urban water sector in Spain. The meeting brought together more than 1,200 attendees, including representatives from public administrations, operators, companies, and leading professionals, to address the major regulatory, technical, economic, and social challenges of the integrated water cycle.
New European regulations, the need for investment, adaptation to climate change, digitalization, service quality and communication of the real value of water marked an edition in which the sector once again highlighted the importance of moving towards more efficient, resilient and sustainable management.
In this context, Facsa had a prominent technical presence: more than a dozen presentations, papers, and panel discussions. The company's participation allowed it to share knowledge and experience in key areas for the present and future of urban water, such as advanced infrastructure management, the use of digital twins, resource recovery in wastewater treatment, operational efficiency, tariff transparency, and professional training.
Digitalization, resilience and applied innovation
Digitalization was one of the main focuses of Facsa's participation. Joan Pere Avariento, Head of GIS Projects, presented a paper on the use of digital twins applied to infrastructure management, while Rosario Arnau, Project Manager at Hydrens, addressed the optimization of nutrients and N₂O emissions in wastewater treatment plants through the development of an advanced digital twin.
Also in the area of technological innovation, Miguel Ortiz, Deputy Technical Director of Water Supply, presented a predictive failure model for submersible pumps, a solution designed to anticipate incidents and improve equipment reliability. Meanwhile, Silvia Doñate, Head of Operations at Hydrens, gave a presentation on advanced modeling for the hydraulic diagnosis of spillways and the design of resilient and sustainable infrastructure.
Adaptation to climate change was also present in the intervention of Jorge Morales, Business Development Director, focused on the impact of extreme weather on water resources, as well as in the presentation by Hydrens Director Javier Climent, on the investment needed for odor management in wastewater treatment plants.
Circular economy, efficiency and citizenship
The circular economy played a prominent role with the intervention of Javier E. Sánchez, head of R&D Projects, who presented a study on the recovery of resources present in WWTP sludge for their valorization as fertilizers, biopesticides and biostimulants.
Francesc Gavara, head of the Metrology Department, addressed the metrological behavior of static domestic meters under real operating conditions, a key issue for improving accuracy, control and efficiency in supply systems.
The relationship with the public was also part of Facsa's technical agenda through the presentation by Raquel Ginés, Deputy Director of Subscriber Management and Continuous Improvement, on a proposal for a more transparent and understandable water bill model, aimed at better explaining what is behind the provision of the service.
In addition, Laura Gabín, head of the Training and Development Department, participated in the round table on training as an engine of professionalization and resilience of the sector, while Elena Zuriaga, head of the R&D&I Projects Department, spoke in the session dedicated to innovation as an essential tool to anticipate the challenges of water.
Tariffs, investment and sustainability of the service
On the last day, José Claramonte, general manager of Facsa, participated in the round table “Efficient tariff management”, in which municipal representatives and operators discussed the need to guarantee sufficient funding to address network renewal, facility modernization, digitalization, energy efficiency and the adaptation of urban systems to extreme weather events.
With this participation, Facsa reinforces its commitment to water management based on technical knowledge, innovation, collaboration and anticipation, at a time when the urban water cycle demands new responses to guarantee the quality, continuity and sustainability of an essential service.
