Aqualia, FCC's subsidiary specialised in end-to-end water management, was awarded in February a number of comprehensive water management contracts in Ibiza, Lanzarote, Tarragona, the Basque Country and Salamanca. The contracts are valued at more than 210 million euro.
The Balearic Agency for Water and Environmental Quality awarded Aqualia the contract to upgrade, operate and maintain Ibiza's desalination system, which will supply 105,400,000 m3 of water to the island over the next 15 years. This contract, which is worth 126 million euro, makes Aqualia the leading desalination company in Ibiza.
Aguas de Lanzarote S.A. (Inalsa), a company owned by the island government of Lanzarote, extended Aqualia's wastewater sanitation, treatment and reuse contract by an additional 12 years; the extension represents 60 million euro in revenues. Inalsa is now the largest wastewater treatment company in Lanzarote.
Aqualia signed a 25-year comprehensive water management contract with the city government of La Bisbal del Penedès (Tarragona); the contract is worth 16 million euro.
Udal Sareak, a company belonging to the Bilbao-Bizkaia Water Consortium, which is responsible for managing the province's entire water grid, awarded Aqualia the contract to operate, maintain and handle faults in the secondary water supply grid in the municipalities of Derio, Erandio, Fruiz, Gamiz-Fika, Gatika, Larrabetzu, Lemoiz, Loiu, Maruri-Jatabe, Mungia, Plentzia and Sondika (zone A). The company was also awarded the contract for the operation, maintenance and upkeep of the drinking water treatment facilities in eastern Bizkaia, which includes the following plants: Garaizar (Durango); Iparraguirre, Meabe, Espila and Iruzubieta (Markina); Gazeta and Arguiñeta (Elorrio); Errotalde (Bolibar); and those in Mendexa and Leketio. The aforementioned contracts represent over 6.5 million euro in revenues and strengthen Aqualia's presence in the Basque Country.
In Salamanca, Aqualia won the contract for the maintenance and management of the water supply and sewage systems in the municipality of Aldeatejada; the five-year contract is worth almost 1 million euro.
In Spain, Aqualia has a 34% share of the outsourced water management market. The company provides water services in 1,100 municipalities to more than 26 million people. It also operates in Italy, Portugal, Algeria, Czech Republic, Poland, Mexico and China. In 2007, Aqualia was named "Water Company of the Year" by prestigious international magazine Global Water Intelligence, a fitting tribute to its track record and international scope. It was also awarded the Customer Service Leadership of the Year award by prestigious UK consulting firm Frost & Sullivan.
