Wa are FCC - Nº16

World Toilet Day ghts to Water and Sanitation and being aligned with SDG 6, which requires public-private collabora- tion, research and investment to optimize available resources and guarantee clean sanitation without leaving anyone behind. Committed Aqualia develops all its activities ta- king into account the protection of the environment, the fight against climate change, the minimization of environmental impact and sustai- nability. Many of the projects pro- moted by the company incorporate solutions that guarantee the treat- ment of wast water in an efficient, safe and environmentally friendly way, contributing to the fight against climate change. Wastewater con- tains water, nutrients and energy so, properly treated, this waste can also be a resource in the form of high value-added bioproducts, a boost for agriculture and a way to reduce and capture emissions for greener energy. Some of them are being developed in protected areas or areas of great value for biodiversity. This is the case of the construction of the Was- tewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) of El Salitre, in Bogotá (Colombia). This is a project that has been de- signed to seek the integral recovery of the Bogotá River, the protection of bordering ecosystems, and heal- th and safety for more than 3 mi- llion inhabitants. Once the plant is operational, the Colombian capital will recover the river that until now was “dead” in certain areas of its course. Another example can be found in the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) of Medina del Campo, in Valladolid. Aqualia has transfor- med the old lagoon system for the filtration of waste water, implemen - ting a sustainable project for the treatment and reuse of water that has allowed the recovery of the ecosystem surrounding the plant, which has been in disuse since 2004. In addition, and according to data from the NGO SEO-BirdLife, the recovery of the natural site has meant that 125 different species of birds have been sighted in that na- tural environment. November 19 is the date set by the United Nations (UN) to draw attention to the importance of sa- nitation for global development and to the 4.2 billion people who, according to the UN, lack safely managed sanitation services. This year’s theme, ‘Sustainable Sanitation and Climate Change’, highlights, on the one hand, the importance of ensuring sanitation systems that effectively treat hu - man waste in a safe, accessible and dignified environment. The international organization also hi- ghlights how sanitation systems are being seriously affected by natural disasters such as floods, droughts, and rising sea levels, which have their origins in climate change. The UN insists that having a sus- tainable sanitation network, along with access to clean water and hand-washing facilities, is, this year more important than ever to help protect and maintain our heal- th security and stop the spread of infectious diseases such as CO- VID-19. It is more urgent than ever to address the global sanitation crisis and achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030. Aqualia develops all its activities taking into account the protection of the environment, the fight against climate change, the minimization of environmental impact and sustainability R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y 39 R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y