Ten years after its creation, the Facsa-UJI Chair held a meeting that was much more than an anniversary celebration. Representatives from the university, government, and management companies shared a common vision: the sector is experiencing a period marked by complete digitalization, climate pressure, new European regulations, and the need for talent capable of integrating science, operations, and local context.
During four thematic conversations, the participants drew a precise picture of the present and future of the urban water cycle in a context increasingly conditioned by complex climate scenarios and the growing social demand for transparency, efficiency and sustainability.
A decade cultivating talent
The meeting opened with a reflection on how the Chair has acted, for ten years, as a true breeding ground for research talent. Through the experiences of Laura Menéndez, Paloma Barreda, and Rosario Arnau, it became clear that the initiative not only provides training but also fosters careers, generates initial opportunities, and introduces young people to the real-world management of the integrated water cycle.
Their presentations revealed how the chair has served as the first professional laboratory for many young specialists: a place to learn how to design projects, coordinate activities, collaborate with government agencies, and gain firsthand experience of the sector. From early blogs on hydraulic heritage to Erasmus+ projects, and including knowledge transfer initiatives with sectors such as ceramics and irrigation, the chair has acted as a space where talent is discovered, nurtured, and developed.
More advanced regulations and smarter networks
The technical debate on water supply focused on a crucial moment for urban networks: the entry into force of new European directives and the acceleration of digitalization. Margarita Palau, head of the Water Quality Area at the Ministry of Health, and Ignacio Aparici, deputy director of the Water Supply area at Facsa, moderated by Guillermo Berlanga, co-director of the Chair, agreed that the sector is facing an unprecedented transformation, where data, anticipation, and resilience will be key. The new European directives require stricter controls, while digitalization—driven by the PERTE program—allows for anticipating incidents and offering a safer and more transparent service. In a context marked by intense droughts and torrential rains, the ability to interpret data will be crucial for strengthening the resilience of the networks.
The evolution of purification systems
The analysis of wastewater treatment in Spain confirmed that it is undergoing a rapid transformation. Under the guidance of Elena Zuriaga, specialists such as Pedro Simón, technical director of ESAMUR; Professor Juan Lema; and Luis Basiero, director of the Sanitation and Wastewater Treatment area at Facsa, offered complementary perspectives on regulation, innovation, and operational realities, agreeing that the challenge is no longer technological, but rather one of implementation and financing.
Everyone agreed that wastewater treatment is undergoing rapid evolution. Lema recalled that technologies commonplace today were only laboratory research a decade ago. Simón explained that the sector is prepared to meet new European regulations, including those concerning emerging micropollutants, but securing funding will be essential to adapt facilities that are already operating at their limits. Basiero added the operational perspective: administrative complexity, the current contractual framework, and energy pressures necessitate rethinking models, promoting innovative public procurement, and strengthening the presence of R&D in the real-world operation of wastewater treatment plants.
The message shared was clear: the technology exists, the knowledge is available, and the sector has technical capacity; what is lacking is a more agile and flexible way to bring innovation from the university to the plants.
Castellón facing the water challenge
The regional perspective positioned Castellón as a paradigmatic example of Mediterranean challenges. In a discussion led by Sergio Alonso, deputy director of the wastewater treatment area at Facsa, experts Teodoro Estrela, head of the Planning Office at the Júcar River Basin Authority (CHJ); Ignacio Sangüesa, former head of the Infrastructure Service of the Castellón Provincial Council; and Jose Claramonte, general manager of Facsa, agreed that the province's water future depends on governance capable of coordinating administrations, operators, and users; fully integrating desalination and reuse to alleviate pressure on increasingly strained aquifers; strengthening technical support for municipalities; and modernizing infrastructure that is already showing its age. A region particularly vulnerable to prolonged droughts, torrential rains, and growing demands, they concluded, needs planning with a regional vision and shared solutions to guarantee a more secure and sustainable supply.
