Experts, administrations and companies rethink the future of sewerage in Catalonia with an innovative, digital and sustainable vision
5 June, Barcelona – The Catalan Water Partnership (CWP) organised on 5 June in Barcelona the conference “Reinventing sewerage: innovation and efficiency in management”, with the aim of putting on the table the main challenges, solutions and opportunities for improving the management of sewerage networks in a context of climate change, digital transition and sustainable urbanism.
The conference brought together more than 120 professionals from the water, engineering, innovation and public administration sectors, consolidating itself as a meeting point for knowledge, collaboration and the dissemination of good practices.
Strategic planning: a structured vision of the future
The session began with the welcome of Jordi Cros, president of the entity and who remarked that “Currently, with the change in the population of cities, the rainfall regime, and technologies, it is a good time to reinvent the sewerage, where one of the keys will be innovation and efficiency in management“. Next, the director, Xavier Amores, introduced the conference by talking about the indicators, projects and upcoming conferences organized by the entity.
In the intervention of Pere Malgrat, an expert in urban drainage and resilience, the new guide for the drafting of the Comprehensive Sanitation Management Plans in the area of the District of the River Basin of Catalonia (PIGSS) was presented. This document lays the foundations for planning, with criteria of efficiency and sustainability, the renovation and improvement of sewerage networks in Catalonia.
Inspiring models at the national level
The second block focused on the exchange of experiences between cities. With the title “Management models and experiences: Madrid, Valencia and Zamora”, cases of advanced management were presented to face the challenges of extreme rainfall, efficient maintenance and the integration of sanitation and purification:
- Manuel Rodríguez (Canal de Isabel II) presented Madrid’s model towards “zero discharge”.
- Maria Pedro (Global Omnium) explained how the management of the sewerage system in Valencia was dealt with after the DANA.
- Erena Estrada (Remondis) showed a comprehensive action carried out in Zamora.
- José Guillermo Berlanga (FACSA) referred to the innovative experiences in the management of sewerage and the learning and new areas of work that are generated in the Valencian Community.
This block culminated with a round table moderated by Xavier Yagüe (CWP) with the participation of the speakers who had previously spoken and where Xavier Vicens (Catalan Water Agency) also joined. The challenges shared between territories and the need for collaborative approaches were highlighted.
The Catalan case: urban innovation and risk management
In the third block, Enric Coll (Agbar) spoke about the transformation of the sewerage system as an opportunity for urban innovation, making this infrastructure visible and integrating it into the smart city strategy.
Innovative solutions: from the laboratory to the real sewer system
The fourth block of the day offered an agile and inspiring sample of innovation applied to sewerage management, through a series of elevator pitches by several companies that presented cutting-edge technological solutions. Clara Muñoz, from ACO Remosa, opened the session by presenting circular economy initiatives for grease management, a growing problem in urban collectors known as fatbergs. Next, Jordi Lozano, from OPTRAL, showed advanced systems for the detection of leaks in pipes, key to the prevention of losses and pollutant infiltrations.
Jordi Pou, representative of Badger Meter Spain, focused his speech on the control of industrial discharges and spillways, an essential tool to guarantee regulatory compliance and environmental protection. For his part, Óscar López, from Hidrotec, presented the latest innovations in robotic and intelligent sewer inspection, which make it possible to improve its maintenance and preventive detection of incidents.
The continuous measurement of water quality was the topic addressed by Natàlia Gil, from Mejoras Energéticas, focusing on real-time monitoring technologies. Next, Paloma Akerman, from Seys, highlighted the use of hydraulic models to facilitate decision-making in network management. Finally, Joana Lluch, from Sixense, closed the block with an innovative proposal based on satellite analysis of land deformation and its impact on sewerage infrastructures.
He highlighted how technology, digitalisation and advanced monitoring are key to moving from a reactive infrastructure to proactive, efficient and data-driven management.
A day to bring the water sector closer to a more sustainable model
The conference highlighted the urgent need to rethink sewerage management from an integrated, efficient and resilient perspective, especially in the face of future challenges. The exchange of experiences between different territories and actors showed that, despite local differences, challenges are shared and solutions involve a combination of strategic planning, technological innovation and institutional and business collaboration.
The presentations and initiatives presented throughout the day reinforced the importance of promoting a paradigm shift: from reactive maintenance to preventive and intelligent management, capable of anticipating impacts and improving the resilience of the system. With this conference, the CWP consolidates its role as a water reference platform in Catalonia and reaffirms its commitment to the transformation of the water cycle into more sustainable, circular and intelligent models.
