Canal de Isabel II has awarded Aqualia, the FCC Group subsidiary specialising in water management, the operation and maintenance service for the La Gavia Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). The 4-year contract is worth a total of €11.5 million.

The La Gavia water treatment plant treats wastewater from the two La Gavia (Gavia I and Gavia II) water collectors and the surplus from the La China (South Collector) water treatment plant, and is equipped with the most advanced technologies, which makes it one of the most modern and largest in Spain.

The WWTP is designed to treat an average of 2 m3/s (172,800 m3 per day) for a population equivalent to 1,353,000 inhabitants. It consists of a highly advanced re-use system that will allow for treated water to be used for agricultural and industrial uses as well as park and garden irrigation.

The wastewater flow through the La Gavia WWTP allows 97% reduction of organic matter and suspended solids, and 85% of nitrogen and phosphorus, through an advanced biological treatment with nutrient removal. The wastewater treatment plant not only produces reclaimed water, but also obtains a sub-product, the sludge, which, according to an integral concept of sustainable development, is treated in four 7,250 m3 anaerobic digesters, thus reducing organic matter and also obtaining methane gas, which is used to heat the sludge before entering the digesters, as well as generating electricity. The La Gavia WWTP produces 5,500 MWh per year, which is enough to supply a population of 1500 inhabitants and minimising CO2 emissions.

The relationship between Aqualia and CYII (Canal de Isabel II), is a clear example of an organic collaboration between public administrators and/or mixed and private companies within a sector where collaboration between government and companies has been working very well for years, for the benefit of citizens.

Aqualia, a company specialised in the design, construction and operation of all types of sanitation infrastructure, manages 445 wastewater treatment plants in four continents. In this regard, the company significantly helps to improve the quality of life in areas where it works.

Along with its experience in sanitation and purification projects, the company develops different R&D&I initiatives to apply new technologies to these processes.