“Water must be treated as a value and no longer as a resource,” with this statement the technical workshops promoted by began Facsa which brought together specialists from all over Spain to delve deeper into the challenges of the new regulatory context in sanitation and purification.
During the various sessions, held on September 27th and 28th in Castelló, participants and attendees discussed the new restrictions and objectives imposed by the recent regulations and whether these regulations anticipate and address the challenges facing the water sector in a changing landscape. This landscape must focus both on the increasingly contested availability of this resource and on the opportunities it presents in the areas of energy and waste management. Despite the sector's adaptability and its constant search for solutions to manage this limited resource efficiently and with increasingly demanding standards in quantity and quality, it will not be possible to address current and future scenarios "without sound planning and funding that allows us to capitalize on the challenges of the new context" within the framework of a comprehensive national strategy, as explained by the director of the sanitation and wastewater treatment area of [unspecified organization]. Facsa, Luis Basiero. The official emphasized “the gap between the dizzying pace of changes taking place globally, with immediate economic consequences for the sector (pandemic, wars, inflation, energy market volatility, among others), and the pace of planning, publication, and implementation of national, regional, and local policies and laws that can address these challenges of the new reality.”.
The purpose of the conference was to analyze the emerging regulatory framework for sanitation and wastewater treatment, focusing on biogas, sludge, and water reuse, as well as the steps needed to build, through water management, the best model for coexistence and contribution to urban sustainability. The ultimate goal, Basiero noted, is to "leverage the challenges of the new regulatory context to bring the price of water closer to its true value.".
Technology, a necessary ally
Technology plays a crucial role in wastewater treatment, waste management, and bioenergy generation, and has therefore been a central topic of discussion. Experts agreed that current economic planning in Spain is not designed to promote investment in technologies that would help the water sector become more efficient and sustainable. The example of Denmark, presented at the conference by Laura Bailón, water technology advisor at the Danish Embassy, demonstrated that while the national and international markets possess sufficient technological developments to address current and future challenges, there is a lack of planning and investment to access these technologies and meet the requirements of the recently published regulations or those currently under development, as the experts pointed out during the meeting. "Reaching technological development is not a concern," they stated, provided that investment in technology and innovation is prioritized to improve efficiency and ensure compliance with the new regulatory framework in certain areas, such as energy neutrality or mitigating resource scarcity.
New challenges in sanitation control
The first part of the meeting analyzed the new landscape of public water resources. The presentation by Ángel Mena, from EMASESA, served as a starting point for understanding the key aspects of the regulation of sewer overflows, as outlined in the new Public Water Resources Regulation. This regulation mandates the regulation, treatment, and control of overflows or spills from sanitation systems, requiring close coordination with river basin authorities.
Given this scenario, some solutions have been shared. Facsa has presented solutions focused on solids retention to mitigate the serious environmental impact and significant damage caused to the sanitation network by the problem of wipes, an issue also regulated by the RDPH. For its part, Hydrens He has shared his experience in simulation tools to study the behavior and operation of hydraulic structures.
The debate in the room highlighted the sector's concern about the high cost of implementing the measures required by this new Regulation, the importance of measurement in Spain, which, unlike other European countries such as Great Britain, has an irregular rainfall regime that does not facilitate management, as well as the feasibility of reducing waste at the source to reduce investment in the treatment of some of the waste so prevalent in our wastewater, such as wipes.
New draft of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive
Enrique Baquerizo, from EMAESA, opened the purification block with a presentation in which he analyzed the most noteworthy aspects of the draft of the new Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive that is currently being discussed in Europe.
The main objectives of this new regulation have been to reduce the pollution load discharged, align with the challenges of the Green Deal and the Sustainable Development Goals, and improve governance.
However, the debate has highlighted that the implementation deadlines set are very tight and that a solid funding strategy will be necessary for its successful implementation.
Wastewater Treatment Plants, clear systems for resource recovery
The following three sessions demonstrated the capacity of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) as resource recovery systems. One of the most recent areas of focus is the energy recovery of biogas generated in these WWTPs and the production of biomethane, considered the path to achieving the required energy neutrality. For this reason, biogas and biomethane have occupied a significant place in these sessions, which have provided insights into the evolution of the regulatory framework and the uses of these two renewable gases. As seen in the case studies presented, such as the BioVO project, both biogas and biomethane exemplify the circular economy and contribute to the development of a sustainable model. Therefore, it is necessary to promote their deployment as energy vectors to achieve climate neutrality, as the experts have pointed out.
The management of sludge generated in urban wastewater treatment plants is also key from an economic, environmental, and operational perspective. However, the new regulatory framework, explained by Maria Luisa Ballesteros, Technical Advisor at the Sub-Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, has led to differing interpretations that need clarification so that all stakeholders understand the rules of the game. Along these lines, Facsa shared its experience in composting through various case studies, drawing on its operations at the Todolella Slurry Treatment Plant, the Burgos Biosolids Composting Plant, and the Valorizaciones Dueñas Waste Treatment Plant.
Given the current scenario – water stress, torrential rains, increased population pressure, etc. – reclaimed water is gaining increasing interest, and although its use is still incipient in much of the national territory, some areas are leading the way in its implementation, as is the case of Murcia, as demonstrated by Román López, from ESAMUR, or the Costa Brava, another example of good practices defended by Silvia López, from the Consorci d'Aigües Costa Brava Girona.
Among the main challenges for the sector in the new landscape of reuse, the following have been identified: political will, user trust, the delimitation of the responsibilities of the agents involved (operator, transport and end users) through risk management plans, the necessary investment and, especially, financing.
