A new water treatment facility in Sabadell will provide clean water to nearly 7,000 families. This initiative marks a significant step toward local water autonomy.
A groundbreaking development in Sabadell’s water management has been realized with the inauguration of the city’s first water treatment plant on July 1. Located near the Serra d’en Camaró, adjacent to the Club Tennis, this facility is set to transform how the city sources its drinking water by treating groundwater for domestic use.
The new plant is expected to recover up to 1,000 million liters of groundwater annually, sufficient for approximately 6,800 families, which represents around 10% of the city’s total consumption. Water will be sourced from various local aquifers and rivers, including those from the Parc Catalunya and the Marí Vinyals mine. Previously, these resources were primarily utilized for irrigation and maintaining green spaces.
Once treated at this state-of-the-art facility, the purified water will be integrated into Sabadell’s existing supply network. The plant boasts a processing capacity of 97.5 cubic meters per hour. After purification, it will be pumped to the Can Llong reservoir where it will mix with supplies from Aigües Ter-Llobregat before reaching residents’ taps.
Sabadell’s mayor, Marta Farrés, emphasized that this project represents a significant advancement in enhancing the city’s water independence. She stated that “this infrastructure makes us more self-sufficient and resilient against climate change and droughts.” Over recent years, Sabadell has been committed to a model that combines external resources with locally sourced and treated water.
The introduction of this facility is not expected to alter residents’ experience regarding their water supply; as Mayor Farrés noted, “Citizens won’t notice any difference in quality.” The real change lies in Sabadell’s enhanced capability to manage future drought conditions through a diversified supply network.
Enric Blasco, president of Aigües Sabadell, highlighted the historical significance of this installation. He remarked that while previous systems were designed to import external water supplies, this marks a pioneering moment as it allows for local production of potable water.
The treatment process employs advanced technologies such as filtration systems and reverse osmosis to ensure high-quality output. Additionally, construction included approximately two kilometers of pipelines necessary for transporting raw groundwater to the treatment site.
This project represents an investment exceeding 965,000 euros, with half funded by a grant from the Agència Catalana de l’Aigua. Its director,Josep Lluís Armenter, praised Sabadell as a model for resilience in managing its water cycle and noted its leadership role in utilizing treated wastewater effectively.
Sabadell has long operated a reclaimed water network linked to its Sant Pau de Riu-sec plant which spans over 30 kilometers. With nearly 200 users, areas like Riu-sec already benefit from recycled resources for commercial consumption. The new treatment plant adds another layer by incorporating groundwater into its drinking supply strategy.
The municipal forecast suggests that combining reclaimed and treated groundwater could reduce dependence on external sources by up to 20%. This reduction would split evenly between reclaimed wastewater and treated groundwater. Such measures may also mitigate potential price increases associated with purchasing external supplies without immediately lowering residents’ bills.
This innovative approach positions Sabadell at the forefront of sustainable urban resource management while ensuring reliable access to clean drinking water for its residents now and into the future.
You might also be interested in
