One of the objectives of the Directorate of Water Cycle Services at the AMB is to provide a service that meets the water use and consumption needs while preserving natural resources and the environment, with the maximum quality and efficacy allowed by the structure.
During the 2015-2019 mandate, a planned, consensual working method was established with transparency, information, participation, and accountability to citizens. Likewise, a critical reflection was undertaken of the avenues of intervention in order to improve them and make them the catalyst of planning and intervention processes in comprehensive water cycle services.
One of the main objectives achieved during the mandate was to provide the water supply service as a common good, while making headway towards guarantee a universal supply, improving control over the management of the service, achieving better rates, and attending to vulnerable families and the environment.
One of the main objectives achieved during the mandate was to provide the water supply service as a common good, while making headway towards guarantee a universal supply, improving control over the management of the service, achieving better rates, and attending to vulnerable families and the environment.
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Comprehensive Water Cycle Master Plan
Water is an essential element for the functioning of both natural ecosystems and urban systems. In our region, which is Mediterranean, water is a scarce, highly prized resource, and this forces us to manage it in a comprehensive way and to understand the complexity of its entire cycle in order to try to meet the multiple needs of natural ecosystems and urban systems.
The metropolitan area of Barcelona has a deficit of water resources. Because of its climate, the large population and industrial activity, it consumes more water than its physical environment can provide. This is why it is important to analyse the water cycle from a comprehensive standpoint and to consider all the waters that enter (potable, phreatic, regenerated and rainwater) and that leave in order to understand how they interact and how their use can be optimised.
The metropolitan area of Barcelona concentrates a large part of the population and economic activities which have water needs that cannot be covered with its own water resources (the basins of the Llobregat and Besòs River). For this reason, today much of the supply is water from resources from other basins.
The effect that climate change can have on the water cycle, as indicated in the different forecasts, is a slight drop in resources and, more importantly, greater variability in the availability of water, with an increase in both drought periods and impossible flooding in extreme periods.
Therefore, the water cycle is currently one of the challenges facing us, both cities and the entire metropolitan area, and in the future it is predicted to become even more important given the reduction in water resources and the slight increase in demand.
In the past 2 years, the Comprehensive Water Cycle Master Plan of the metropolitan area of Barcelona was developed. The document has focused on synthesizing and compiling all the basic information on the comprehensive water cycle of the AMB, within which the most important component is the potable water supply (sources of supply, demands, description of the network, etc.), even though areas like sanitation and the use of alternative resources (phreatic water, desalination, and regenerated water) have also been examined.
The sphere of work are the 36 municipalities within the AMB, some of which has been considered together because much of the information available is for the entire system and they are adjacent municipalities with only a single water supply network.
The Master Plan analyses the current status of the comprehensive water cycle in the metropolitan area from supply to reuse, and it establishes several guidelines, which will be the programmes that must be developed in the near and middle-term future, included within a common framework of action. -
Supply
The main sources of the potable water supply are the surfaces of the Ter and Llobregat Rivers, the underground water in the metropolitan aquifers and desalinated water coming from the desalination plant on the Llobregat River. They all provide the volume of water needed to supply potable water to the more than 1,590,000 people who have water supply contracts. In the period 2015-2018, there were no major variations in the water resources entering the metropolitan area of Barcelona, and the values were similar to 2018, as shown in Figure 1.
Gràfic Font de procedència de recursos hídrics 2018 (milers de m3)
It is worth noting that on 2 August 2018, the AMB, the Government of Catalonia, the Girona Town Hall and other entities from around the region signed the Ter Panel Agreement with the goal of reducing the flow of the Ter River towards the metropolitan region in the period 2018-2028 until reaching a maximum of 30% of the outflow of the river, which should never exceed a maximum conveyance of 90 hm3 of water per year.
This decrease in the flow will be carried out in 3 phases, during which measures are already planned to compensate for the lower amount of water resources coming from the Ter River.
The water flow supplied to the metropolitan area is around 220 hm3/year, and domestic use consumes the most with the exception of Castellbisbal, where non-domestic industrial consumption prevails because of the makeup of the municipality. Even though the flow recorded throughout the entire region is around 181 hm3/year, with a technical performance of 84%, the reality is that each municipal network has its own hydraulic characteristics and must be treated one by one, as the nine potable water supply companies in the Metropolitan area do.
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AIGUA REGISTRADA PER USOS (milers m3) DOMÈSTIC NO DOMÈSTIC MUNICIPAL TOTAL MUNICIPI Mitjana (2015-2018) Mitjana (2015-2018) Mitjana (2015-2018) Mitjana (2015-2018) Badalona 7.740 1.404 543 9.687 Barcelona 62.962 26.329 5.744 95.035 Begues 315 58 9 382 Castelldefels 2.955 607 244 3.806 Cerdanyola del Vallès 2.068 941 236 3.245 Cornellà de Llobregat 2.972 955 412 4.339 El Papiol 167 70 14 251 Esplugues de Llobregat 1.754 562 204 2.520 Gavà 1.866 526 192 2.584 L'Hospitalet de Llobregat 8.691 2.305 522 11.518 Montcada i Reixac 1.263 583 110 1.956 Montgat 451 74 47 571 Pallejà 479 98 54 630 Sant Adrià de Besòs 1.247 421 251 1.919 Sant Boi de Llobregat 2.910 881 329 4.119 Sant Climent de Llobregat 149 15 9 172 Sant Feliu de Llobregat 1.554 313 198 2.065 Sant Joan Despí 1.225 455 177 1.857 Sant Just Desvern 782 351 97 1.229 Santa Coloma Cervelló 302 49 31 382 Santa Coloma Gramenet 3.924 461 278 4.663 Torrelles de Llobregat 245 17 18 279 Viladecans 2.393 476 157 3.025 TOTAL ABEMGCIA 108.413 37.950 9.874 156.237 Badia 419 22 99 541 Cervelló 429 55 23 507 Corbera 630 79 17 726 Ripollet 1.360 388 93 1.841 Sant Cugat del Vallès 4.354 1.845 364 6.563 Tiana 414 39 54 507 TOTAL SOREA 7.606 2.429 650 10.685 Sant Vicenç dels Horts 1.079 269 73 1.421 TOTAL A SVH 1.079 269 73 1.421 Molins de Rei 983 214 124 1.320 Sant Andreu de la Barca 1.055 418 116 1.588 TOTAL AQUALIA 2.038 631 239 2.908 Barberà del Vallès 1.240 840 167 2.247 TOTAL SABEMSA 1.240 840 167 2.247 Castellbisbal 495 1.765 69 2.330 TOTAL AICSA 495 1.765 69 2.330 Bellaterra 211 34 0,02 245 TOTAL CASSA 211 34 0 245 El Prat de Llobregat 2.267 1.068 328 3.663 TOTAL APSA 2.267 1.068 328 3.663 La Palma de Cervelló 127 13 10 149 TOTAL ACAT 127 13 10 149 TOTAL AMB 123.475 45.000 11.410 179.886 Volumes recorded (thousands of m3) average 2015-2018, by municipality and use
In terms of domestic water supplies, they are still at low values, about 104.3 litres per inhabitant per day, and therefore close to the minimum of 100 litres per inhabitant per day established by the United Nations.
Supply to the AMB
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Monitoring and control of use
The Concession Oversight Service, created during the present mandate, has worked on auditing and tracking the potable water supply services provided by the different companies in the metropolitan area.
In the past 4 years, the spending of the metropolitan company that manages the water cycle (Aigües de Barcelona, Empresa Metropolitana de Gestió del Cicle Integral de l'Aigua, SA) has been exhaustively reviewed to provide more in-depth knowledge of the technical, organisational, economic and financial aspects of the activities, with a consequent reduction in the cost of water for citizens. Specifically, the rates have dropped as follows:
- 2016 – 2.4% decrease taking effect in December 2016
- 2018 – 1.65% decrease taking effect on 10 May 2018
- 2019 – 5.7% decrease taking effect on 1 January 2020
These decreases total a cumulative reduction of 9.5%.
During this mandate, in fulfilment of the ruling by the High Court of Justice of Catalonia and the agreement of the Metropolitan Council, the Directorate of Water Cycle Services has undertaken several studies applying the criteria of prudence and foresight in the event of the potential ratification of the ruling by the Supreme Court, namely the following:
a) Appraisal of the assets affected in the local water supply and regional sanitation system.
This study seeks to appraise the regional sanitation system and local water supply system of the metropolitan municipalities operated by Aigües de Barcelona, Empresa Metropolitana de Gestió del Cicle Integral de l'Aigua (henceforth, ABEMGCIA) on that date it was established, 2013.
b) The draft liquidation.
Report on the theoretical calculations of a tentative estimate of the amounts of the potential liquidation resulting if the High Court of Justice of Catalonia rulings dated 9 and 10 March 2016 are confirmed.
c) The study of alternative management models.
In order to improve oversight of the management service, a study of alternative management models of the comprehensive water cycle was conducted with the idea of having a document that encompasses the different management models, the way they should be awarded and the legal particularities and characteristics of each of them.
Water supply to towns
Companies and rates -
Installations
Investments in the supply network are carried out in order to avoid the deterioration of the network, and to improve its performance and efficiency. In the context of the metropolitan company managing the water cycle, with 23 metropolitan municipalities, investment plans with the following amounts have been approved:
Approved investment plans2015 2016 2017 2018 38,7 M € 38,9 M € 38,9 M € 39,6 M €
One of the objectives pursued by the Metropolitan Action Plan (PAM) is the reduction of the flat rate, a type of supply with a fixed consumption price regardless of the consumed volume, that is found in old housing with old pipes. This type of supply is becoming extinct, although the last units are always the hardest to eliminate. In the 2015-2018 period they diminished by a 23 %: in 2015 there were 3.113 flat rates and in 2018 there were 2.397.
Installations and facilities
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Monitoring and control of use
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Sanitation
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Monitoring and control of use
Sanitation takes place in the metropolitan water treatment plants and the associated sanitation systems via the public-private company Aigües de Barcelona, Empresa Metropolitana de Gestió del Cicle Integral de l'Aigua, SA (ABEMGCIA).
The Sanitation and Inspection System (SIS) of the AMB monitors the operation of sanitation through the sanitation system management module of the Comprehensive Water Management and Control software (GICA0). Thanks to this tool, the SIS can receive, visualise, manage and process all the data generated in the AMB's seven water treatment plants and in the Besòs sludge treatment plant.
The SIS conducts inspections of the water treatment plants and the Besòs sludge treatment plant in order to guarantee that the plants are being operated in accordance with the quality standards of the water that is discharged from them.
Sanitation Plan-
Operating data on water treatment plants
- Flow
Basic data and flow treated in the water treatment plants of the AMB from 2015 to 2018EDAR Capacitat disseny Habitants Tipus de tractament Cabal depurat (m3) 2015 Cabal depurat (m3) 2016 Cabal depurat (m3) 2017 Cabal depurat (m3) 2018 (m3/dia) equivalents Besòs 525.000 2.850.000 Biològic 116.457.659 122.374.422 122.458.271 125.457.846 El Prat de Llobregat 315.000 1.710.000 Biològic, nutrients i regeneració 86.357.714 88.413.038 91.596.549 94.347.850 Sant Feliu de Llobregat 64.000 380.000 Biològic, nutrients i regeneració 17.412.261 17.695.866 18.037.976 21.009.842 Montcada i Reixac 72.600 430.000 Biològic, eliminació fòsfor 17.149.895 17.591.763 18.761.525 21.638.147 Gavà-Viladecans 64.000 380.000 Biològic, nutrients i regeneració 13.547.225 13.652.120 13.991.781 15.218.034 Begues 1.200 7.000 Biològic, nutrients 340.062 330.547 340.891 415.516 Vallvidrera 1.100 6.000 Biològic, nutrients i regeneració 258.658 263.759 283.271 333.075 TOTAL 1.042.900,00 5.763.000,00 251.523.474,00 260.321.515,00 265.470.264,00 278.420.310,00
In 2018, there was more precipitation than in previous years.
- Energy
Cogenerated energy means the energy produced at the water treatment plants from the biogas generated in the anaerobic digestion process of the sludge.
EDAR 2015 2016 2017 2018 Energia consumida Energia cogenerada Energia consumida Energia cogenerada Energia consumida Energia cogenerada Energia consumida Energia cogenerada Besòs 42.522.500 40.336.055 38.886.244 38.270.071 El Prat de Llobregat 38.928.432 34.543.463 41.358.814 37.709.082 38.805.653 43.538.600 35.637.572 32.710.000 Sant Feliu de Llobregat 6.267.201 3.380.954 6.198.010 3.362.421 6.358.819 2.667.646 6.356.882 2.191.820 Montcada i Reixac 4.117.448 4.242.082 3.500.439 3.248.520 Gavà-Viladecans 7.210.270 2.680.569 7.392.809 749.750 6.950.149 1.595.001 7.241.588 2.439.156 Begues 184.419 173.429 178.266 197.206 Vallvidrera 294.166 298.449 329.730 342.287 Metrofang 8.357.783 7.650.045 7.431.877 7.125.834 TOTAL 107.882.219 40.604.986 107.649.693 41.821.253 102.441.177 47.801.247 98.419.960 37.340.976 Electrical energy consumed and cogenerated in the metropolitan water treatment plants.
In 2016, there was a 0.22% drop in the total electrical energy consumption of the plants and a 3% increase in cogenerated energy. That year, cogeneration system at the Gavà-Viladecans water treatment plant was not operating because of an engine malfunction.
In 2017, there was a 4.84% drop in the total electrical energy consumption of the plants and a 14.3% increase in cogenerated energy.
- Twice as much energy was cogenerated in the water treatment plant of Gavà as in the previous year, since in 2017 a reconditioned engine was installed to temporarily replace the cogeneration engine which had been malfunctioning since early 2016.
- In the Sant Feliu water treatment plant, cogenerated energy production dropped 20% compared to 2016. That same year, the codigestion system was stopped, which led to a reduction in the production of biogas and therefore in electrical energy generation.
In 2018, there was a 3.93% drop in the total electrical energy consumption of the plants compared to the previous year, and the cogenerated energy also decreased 21.88 %.
- In the water treatment plant of Gavà, a cogeneration engine was put into operation in early January.
- In the water treatment plant of Sant Feliu, the cogeneration engine was put into operation midyear.
- At the Prat water treatment plant, the thermal drying stopped because of the stop in the Gas Natural cogeneration engines. In order for the thermal drying to work, natural gas had to be purchased to be used in cogeneration. Once this process was stopped, there was no longer a need to buy natural gas, and consequently the cogenerated energy decreased by 24.87 %.
- Waste
RESIDUS PRODUÏTS PER L'EDAR (t) Escombraries i Sorres Total 2015 Total 2016 Total 2017 Total 2018 EDAR Besòs 3.328,47 3.589,31 3.923,80 3.713,24 El Prat de Llobregat 1.879,51 1.585,77 1.182,06 1.246,53 Sant Feliu de Llobregat 291,43 292,46 257,16 264,50 Montcada i Reixac 448,58 418,01 360,80 462,82 Gavà-Viladecans (Begues) 727,73 671,39 600,98 497,22 Vallvidrera 15,24 9,00 14,16 16,62 Begues 4,74 4,04 21,42 37,22 Total (t) 6.696 6.570 6.360 6.238 Waste generated at the metropolitan water treatment plants
Waste in the metropolitan collectorsEDAR (centres d'expedició) Sorres Col·lectors 2015 Sorres Col·lectors 2016 Sorres Col·lectors 2017 Sorres Col·lectors 2018 El Prat de Llobregat 416,5 172,56 137,72 244,56 Sant Feliu de Llobregat 317,00 218,52 198,14 140,54 Montcada i Reixac 549,12 520,18 824,52 585,14 Total (t) 1.282,62 911,26 1.160,38 970,24
The table below shows the disposal of sludge generated in the AMB.
Disposal of sludge generated in the metropolitan water treatment plantsDISPOSICIÓ DE FANGS SEGONS DISTRIBUCIÓ (TMS) EDAR 2017 TOTAL 2015 TOTAL 2016 TOTAL 2017 TOTAL 2018 Deshidratat El Prat de Llobregat 6.132 7.135 8.081 13.078 Besòs 37.755 40.635 41.174 39.214 Sant Feliu de Llobregat (Vallvidrera) 3.016 3.009 3.273 3.141 Gavà-Viladecans (Begues) 2.475 2.491 2.442 2.606 Vallvidrera (*) 0 0 0 0 Begues (*) 0 0 0 0 Total fang deshidratat 49.379 53.271 54.970 58.040 Assecat El Prat de Llobregat 5.994 4.601 4.564 1.825 Besòs Total fang assecat 5.994 4.601 4.564 1.825 TOTAL 55.373 57.872 59.533 59.865
(*) Based on energy-efficiency criteria, moist sludge from the water treatment plants in Begues and Vallvidrera is biomethanised in the Gavà-Viladecans and Sant Feliu de Llobregat digestors, respectively. Occasionally, the Begues and Vallvidrera water treatment plants may directly manage their own sludge, primarily through composting.
- Regenerated water
- River/RED: Maintenance of the flow of the Llobregat River after the catchment point of the Sant Joan Despí potable water treatment plant or the Molins de Rei weir and/or water supply to be treated at the Sant Boi del Llobregat reverse electrodialysis (RED) station.
- Flow in wetlands: Supply of regenerated water to maintain the different wetlands located at the Llobregat River delta.
- Watering: Supply of regenerated water to water municipal zones.
- Tanker lorries: Supply of regenerated water for street cleaning.
- Well injection: Supply of regenerated water to be injected in the saltwater intrusion barrier in the aquifer in the Llobregat River delta.
- Scenario A: Discontinuous treatment with the injection of regenerated water into the aquifer of the Llobregat River delta and the supply of regenerated water to the wetlands of the Llobregat River delta.
- Scenario B: Continuous treatment with the injection of regenerated water into the aquifer of the Llobregat River delta, the supply of regenerated water to the wetlands of the Llobregat River delta and maintenance of the Llobregat River flow after the water catchment point of the Sant Joan Despí potable water treatment plant.
- Scenario C: Continuous treatment with the injection of regenerated water into the aquifer of the Llobregat River delta, the supply of regenerated water to the wetlands of the Llobregat River delta and maintenance of the flow of the Llobregat River after the Molins de Rei weir.
REGENERACIÓ EDAR Gavà 2015 2016 2017 2018 CABAL REUTILITZAT (m3/any) Cabal corredores 3.776.670 3.923.950 3.937.618 2.547.583
REGENERACIÓ EDAR Prat de Llobregat 2015 2016 2017 2018 CABAL REUTILITZAT (m3/any) Riu/EDR 0 0 19.464 37.324 Cabal z. humides 0 2.826 0 0 Reg 0 0 0 0 Camions cisterna 0 0 0 0 Verge del port (Montjuïc) 0 0 0 0 Injectat a pous 10.614 12.106 12.193 25.561 TOTAL aplicats 10.614 14.932 31.657 62.885
Figure 10. Flow of reused waterREGENERACIÓ EDAR Sant Feliu 2015 2016 2017 2018 CABAL REUTILITZAT (m3/any) CABAL GOLF 110.100 82.300 133.150 135.200 CABAL REG 65.200 108.900 146.100 75.950 Cabal Canal de la Infanta 525 34.800 53.500 1.500 Total 175.825 226.000 332.750 212.650
Reuse in the AMB
Water reuse programme
- Metrofang
From 2015 to 2018, Metrofang has treated and managed 158,779 TMS, and everything has been exclusively dehydrated. -
Tracking indicators
In the sanitation operating process, 3 values of indicators are established to track the efficacy of the treatment and operation of the water treatment plants.
- Degree of compliance
The calculation is done with the number of acceptable samples over total samples per month, and it should be borne in mind that surpassing the threshold value of just one of the controlled parameters makes the sample unacceptable. The target value is higher than 90%.
Results of water treatment plant operating indicators 2017-2018Indicadors 2017 2018 Gavà 98% 88% Begues 100% 99% Besòs 99% 97% Prat 100% 97% Montcada 93% 78% Sant Feliu 86% 91% Vallvidrera 100% 100% Metrofang 17,7% 17,9% Inspeccions EDAR 93,3% 97,2%
In 2018, the calculation of this indicator was modified, which the reason for the decrease, not lower quality of the water discharged.
Directive 91/271/EEC establishes the degree of compliance of the parameters of the water discharged from water treatment plants. The parameters that are measured are those specified in this decree, namely matter in suspension (MES), and total nitrogen (Ntot) and phosphorous (P).
During this mandate, all the metropolitan water treatment plants have fulfilled this regulation.
- Return sludge quality
To determine the Metrofang discharge quality, an indicator is defined to assess the quality of the sludge that Metrofang returns to the Besòs water treatment plant.
Results of return sludge quality indicator 2017-2018Indicador 2017 2018 (qualitat retorn fangs) Metrofang 17,70% 17,90%
Good quality is determined with a return sludge lower than 30%. The calculation is determined by dividing the monthly average by the daily calculation of tonnes of dry matter in all the sludge accumulated from the past 7 days by the tonnes of dry matter sent to Besòs accumulated in the past 7 days.
Therefore, the results (17%) are optimal.- Calendar of inspections
The tables below present the results of this indicator in the period 2015-2018. They are indicators established in the ISO of the SIS. The sanitation part was incorporated into the ISO in 2017, so the data only exist since that year.
Results of plant inspection indicator 2017-2018Indicador 2017 2018 Inspeccions EDAR 93,30% 97,20%
Inspections of the water treatment plants 2016-2018Inspeccions 2016 2017 2018 Gavà Begues 9 11 11 Besòs 11 15 12 Prat 15 13 12 Montcada 10 10 12 Sant Feliu Vallvidrera 10 13 12 Metrofang 0 6 11 Total 55 68 70
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Operating data on water treatment plants
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Inspection and control
The database (GICA0) has a living industrial census of 9,104 activities that enables them to be distinguished by their polluting potential (PP). Forty-one percent are considered potentially pollutings.
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In 2018, approximately 30% (762 inspections) of the potentially polluting industries were inspected by the AMB's technical sanitation services.
The most widespread industrial activities in the metropolitan area and the inspections made of them are:
Gràfic Inspeccions per activitats industrials
In the planning of inspections, the priorities are maintained according to the polluting potential of the activities, previous noncompliance, pollution episodes, incidents and any noncompliance detected in the samples from collectors, as well as the processing status of the corresponding dumping authorisations in order to minimise the impact on the metropolitan water purification stations to the extent possible.
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It is worth noting that an inspection can take several samples, and if only one of them is unacceptable the entire inspection is considered unacceptable
For inspections performed that show noncompliance in one or several samples, an evaluation is conducted in order to define subsequent actions. These actions can differ according to the seriousness of the noncompliance, the company's history, the effects on the metropolitan water purification stations, and any possible incidents in the inspection.
That is, a distinction is made between punishable noncompliance (S) and non-punishable noncompliance for different reasons, such as those stemming from samples taken with flow 0 (C0), which are not punished if they are not considered serious dumping of liquid waste; those derived from samples in which there may have been an incident or breakdown in the inspection which is sufficiently accredited (ISR); and those in which it is deemed appropriate to ask the company to take measures to correct the deviation from the parameters (IAR).
The list of noncompliance incidents in the inspections conducted in the period 2015- 2018 and the subsequent follow-up actions are summarised in the figure below:
Gràfic Relació de tràmits d'inspeccions no conformes-
Minimising the effects on the water purification stations
The SIS monitors the metropolitan sanitation network in order to describe the wastewater quality at different points with the objective of being able to characterise it.
For this reason, it tracks and samples the metropolitan collectors and the operation of the Centre Mirall, which incorporates the data obtained from the Quality Stations and makes it possible to continuously analyse certain pollution parameters.
These tasks are performed via:
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Sampling in collectors:
- Planning of sampling.
- Field sampling.
- Receipt of analytical results.
- Sending suspicious results to the pollution episode process.
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Quality stations:
- Everyday operation of the QSs.
- Sending suspicious results to the pollution episode process.
- Tracking outsourced work.
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Since the implementation of ISO 9001:2008 in the SIS, alarms and pollution episodes detected in the metropolitan and municipal sanitation network have been recorded.
This was tracked via the warnings that have arrived in the following ways:
- Warning for inspections
- Network control warning
- Quality station warning
- AB (operation of the water treatment plant and control of metropolitan collectors)
- Town hall warning
- Industry warning
- Other
- Warning: Any communication that reaches the head of protocol of pollution episodes.
- Alert: Detection of an incident or an abnormal increase in pollutants, which may or may not require subsequent actions.
- Alarm: An alert which must be associated with subsequent actions, either technical, administrative or both, but which will not affect the receiving environment. Alarms can be both occasional and long-term.
- Episode: An alert which must be associated with subsequent actions, technical and/or administrative, which affect the receiving environment.
Gràfic Incidències -
Sampling in collectors:
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Minimising the effects on the water purification stations
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Installations
- Replacements and improvements
The table below shows the amounts of the actions undertaken by year and system.
Worth noting in 2017 is the emergency action to repair the Llevant collector for the amount of €1,844,742.83.
REPOSICIONS I MILLORES 2015 2016 2017 2018 SISTEMES Import final actuacions Import final actuacions Import final actuacions Import final actuacions SANEJAMENT Reposicions i Millores Reposicions i Millores Reposicions i Millores Reposicions i Millores BEGUES 4.472,00 € 60.325,25 € BESÒS 86.476,56 € 103.880,61 € 2.626.137,39 € 767.301,03 € GAVÀ 138.154,82 € 35.600,36 € 420.614,47 € 1.449.541,43 € MONTCADA 129.826,65 € 269.033,26 € 233.839,20 € PRAT 392.712,78 € 1.418.573,32 € 447.955,31 € 791.880,05 € SANT FELIU 155.847,44 € 199.603,55 € 87.625,99 € 1.427.399,08 € VALLVIDRERA 4.678,38 € 86.314,64 € SANEJAMENT 572.119,84 € 90.870,67 € 270.480,30 € Total 1.475.138,09 € 1.757.657,84 € 3.951.387,47 € 5.087.080,98 €
The total amount invoiced in this period was €12,271,264.38.-
Other actions
Other actions
The AMB has worked steadfastly to formalise agreements and joint projects with the Catalan Water Agency to improve the municipal wastewater sanitation system.
Actions to make the system more robust and secure:
Several examples of the avenues of work undertaken to make the system more versatile and robust have revolved around:
a) Inclusion of collectors in the regional sanitation system:
2016 - Agreement to include the Ca N'Armengol and Can Rigol collectors in the regional sanitation system in Sant Feliu de Llobregat.
b) Replacement of regional collectors:
2017 – Partnership agreement between the Barcelona Metropolitan Area and the Catalan Water Agency to draw up a construction project to replace the regional collector affected by the Vallirana bypass.
2018 - Partnership agreement between the Barcelona Metropolitan Area and the Catalan Water Agency to study alternatives and draw up a construction project to build the new collector of the outport in the Morrot zone of Port de Barcelona.
c) Improvement in the treatment in the water treatment plants:
2016 - Partnership agreement between the Barcelona Metropolitan Area and the Catalan Water Agency to draw up the construction project to enlarge and reduce nutrients in the Montcada i Reixach water treatment.
Actions to lower the number of inhabitants who are not connected to the regional sanitation system:
2016 – Partnership agreement between the Barcelona Metropolitan Area and the Catalan Water Agency to draw up the construction project to execute regional sanitation in the nuclei of Can Paulet, Can Rafel, Can Vidal and Les Rovires in the township of Cervelló.
2016 – Partnership agreement between the Barcelona Metropolitan Area and the Catalan Water Agency to finance the drawing up of the sanitation and purification construction project in the urban estates of Can Santeugini, Costablanca, Ca N'oliveró and Colònia del Carme in the township of Castellbisbal.
2018 – Partnership agreement between the Barcelona Metropolitan Area and the Catalan Water Agency to execute the regional sanitation project in the nuclei of Can Palauet, Can Rafel, Can Vidal and Les Rovires in the township of Cervelló.
2018 – Partnership agreement between the Barcelona Metropolitan Area and the Catalan Water Agency to execute the sanitation and purification projects in the urban estates of Can Santeugini, Costablanca, Ca N'oliveró and Colònia del Carme in the township of Castellbisbal.
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New investments
In 2018, intense work was conducted to justify and prove the need for investments in sanitation infrastructures, in addition to replacements and improvements, and ultimately a five-year plan was agreed upon with the Catalan Water Agency (ACA), which calls for 144 million euros of investment within the next five years.
Equipment and civil works 2019-2023
1r any 2n any 3r any 4t any 5è any 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 TOTAL REPOSICIONS (R ) 11.068.607,67 € 16.780.300,00 € 13.030.133,50 € 14.414.983,50 € 14.290.112,00 € TOTAL MILLORES (M) 893.000,00 € 1.926.000,00 € 1.061.000,00 € 1.881.000,00 € 2.506.000,00 € TOTAL REPOSICIONS I MILLORES (R + M) 11.961.607,67 € 18.706.300,00 € 14.091.133,50 € 16.295.983,50 € 16.796.112,00 € 77.851.136,67 € TOTAL NOVES INVERSIONS (NI) 3.368.126,43 € 21.336.379,40 € 17.077.283,80 € 9.308.804,00 € 15.208.000,00 € 66.298.593,63 € TOTAL INVERSIÓ (R + M + NI) 15.329.734,10 € 40.042.679,40 € 31.168.417,30 € 25.604.787,50 € 32.004.112,00 € 144.149.730,30 €
This means achieving a very important goal. The Plan is written in compliance with the rules stemming from the Regulation of the Public Sanitation Services, Decree 130/2009, dated 13 May 2003, and the directives established in its formal implementation.
Accordingly, the Plan encompasses a five (5) year period, from 2019 until 2023, and it is broken down into three kinds of actions: replacements, improvements and new investments.
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Monitoring and control of use
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Laboratory
The Barcelona Metropolitan Area laboratory has the best technologies to analyse all kinds of environmental samples with the utmost quality guarantees.
With this goal in mind, since 2004 it has been accredited in accordance with the ISO17025 standard, which is the top institutional recognition for an analysis laboratory as a guarantee of the reliability of the results and the high level of technical competence.
The accreditation in the areas of wastewater, continental water, regenerated water and natural leached water, as well as in the sphere of the analysis of air pollutants, enables it to guarantee optimal environmental quality monitoring under the most demanding international quality management standards. These areas of accreditation are gradually expanding every year with new methodologies, always with the commitment to sustainable environmental management in accordance with the criteria of the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS).
In recent years, it has worked in the field of water inspection and sanitation and has helped monitor the waste deposits and, in the LIFE-METHA Project, it has monitored the sanitary aspects of beaches, metropolitan parks and soil quality, all from a comprehensive environmental perspective.
Anàlisis realitzades segons client 2015 2016 2017 2018 Inspeccions a Indústries 6.915 6.969 8.182 6.495 Sanejament 9.487 8.242 10.369 8.054 Llots de EDAR 1.270 5.119 5.280 4.848 Gestió Ambiental 2.359 1.540 2.212 1.507 Espais Públics 3.100 3.859 3.647 4.108 Gestió de Residus 1.989 1.859 1.578 1.711 Port BCN 6.336 7.952 7.470 6.705 EAC's, Ajuntaments i altres 3.083 3.498 2.124 4.834 Projectes LIFE 938 3.927 814 1.300 TOTAL ANALÍTIQUES 35.477 42.965 41.676 39.562
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In terms of research projects, the results of the LIFE-WIRE Project on improvements in water quality were presented, with different advanced treatments such as ultrafiltration membranes and nano-structured carbon materials. It also participated in the LIFE-METHA Project on waste treatment to yield biogas.
Lately, given the interest in promoting the reuse of regenerated wastewater, efforts have been focused on implementing new analysis methodologies that enable action throughout the entire comprehensive water cycle and adaptation to the different possible uses of water. To this end, the laboratory has been equipped with advanced instrumentation in order to monitor all the priority substances in accordance with the framework water directive, as well as emerging pollutants, medicines, perfluorinated compounds, hormones, abused drugs, personal hygiene products and pesticides, herbicides, rodenticides, etc. The ultimate goal is to guarantee water quality and minimise negative effects on the environment.
AMB Laboratory
Quality and environmental management -
Rain and flood prevention
The Sant Llorenç laminated reservoir is a metropolitan infrastructure designed to prevent flooding in the towns of Viladecans, Gavà and Sant Climent and to store the water from the river that cannot be absorbed during times of heavy rainfall. During the current mandate, a tender was announced for the maintenance services and operation of the reservoir to guarantee that it operates properly, and Aigües de Barcelona, Empresa Metropolitana de Gestió del Cicle Integral de l'Aigua SA won the tender.
Currently, the AMB is working on several strategic projects, at the core of which is infrastructure development in the metropolitan area for the forthcoming years, including specific lines in rainwater management and flood prevention.
Flood prevention in the AMB
Rainwater Master Plan -
European projects
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BINGO Project – A better future under climate change (2015- June 2019)
The BINGO Project (Bringing INnovation to onGOing water management) is financed via the European Horizon 2020 programme in the strand of undertaking research and innovation projects on the consequences of the risky hydrological situations caused by climate change.
Its main objective in the metropolitan area is to provide tools and practical knowledge on how climate change is going to affect flooding in the city and beaches of Badalona. The results of the climate projections show that in the short term the rain will not be more intense than today, but there will be an increase in the frequency of episodes of low returns (2, 5, and 10 years) and therefore a corresponding increase in the risk of flooding.
The study also identifies three main types of damage caused by possible episodes of extreme rains, namely damage to people, cars and homes. These impacts and damages caused by flooding in the city and beaches are analysed and studied in detail so that the problems stemming from these extreme flooding episodes can be resolved effectively, rapidly and resiliently.
Therefore, the results of the BINGO project on the metropolitan level add more strength to continue working to minimise the effects of flooding and establish mitigation measures for climate change and resilience of the territory and the people. It is the point of departure for improving planning and establishing corrective measures that lower the effects of rainfall in metropolitan infrastructures such as collectors, water treatment plants and spillways:
- Having an urban drainage model that provides information on the behaviour of the municipal drainage network and therefore its repercussions upstream in metropolitan installations like collectors, water purification stations and spillways.
- Introducing sustainable urban drainage systems such as permeable pavements, especially in vehicle parking areas; introducing green tiles to increase rainwater retention and infiltration; green gutters, infiltration ditches, etc. These actions can be applied in the city, yet they also influence the arrival of water to the metropolitan installations.
- Implementing a remote control centre connected with a different stakeholders involved, such as the town hall or the AMB, to improve coordination among them.
- Installing alert systems for both the danger of flooding and the danger of dumping on the beach.
- Implementing awareness-raising and information campaigns for the population on the risk of flooding.
The project ends in June 2019, when the results may be included in the metropolitan planning, specifically in the environment area with repercussions on the metropolitan beaches.
BINGO Project
Flood prevention -
LIFE-METHA Project
The LIFE Metamorphosis Project is co-financed by the European Commission within the LIFE Programme, and it seeks to promote innovative environmental and climate change technologies to spearhead changes in the development and application of policies by providing solutions and improvements. It is coordinated by Aqualia, and the consortium's partners include Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas (FCC), Naturgy, SEAT, Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB) and the Catalan Energy Institute (ICAEN).
It is a technology demonstration project which seeks the same objectives as the LIFE programme, particularly to mitigate climate change by increasing renewable energy and in particular producing biomethane from waste treatment plants, which fosters the reduction of greenhouse gases compared to other fuels. It signals a revolution in urban mobility and the development of the cities of the future, and it is an initiative which is in accordance with the circular economy guidelines fostered by the European Community.
The project set out to demonstrate two innovative waste treatment systems on an industrial scale.
LIFE-METHA Project -
LIFE-WIRE Project
The LIFE WIRE Project focuses on developing a wastewater treatment system that allows for flexible and efficient recycling of urban wastewater of differing qualities and its use in the chemical industry, the management of liquid waste and electroplating. It thus achieves the combination and optimisation of ultrafiltration (UF), carbon nanostructured materials (CNMs) and reverse osmosis (RO) technologies.
LIFE-WIRE Project
Research projects
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BINGO Project – A better future under climate change (2015- June 2019)
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Governance
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Promoting responsible water use
In the recent mandate, work was conducted on measures to inform citizens about responsible water use.
Likewise, in accordance with Law 24/2015, dated 29 July 2015, with the goal of guaranteeing the right to access to basic potable water supply for individuals and family units at the risk of residential exclusion, the AMB has spearheaded the approval of provisional, exceptional enrolments in the water supply service (Decree VP 368/2018).
Workshops on the value and rational use of water
Saving water consumption in the metropolitan parks -
Regulation on the internal water cycle
In 2016, the Regulation on the metropolitan comprehensive water cycle service was amended, specifically article 3, in order to provide the municipalities where the current management contracts are concluding, with the option of municipal management on a local scale, as long as the municipality can guarantee its legal and economic feasibility and its own maintenance of the network.
Regulation on the municipal comprehensive water cycle service -
Metropolitan regulation on wastewater dumping
In 2018, work was conducted to revise and amend the Metropolitan Wastewater Dumping Regulation, primarily to update the regulatory framework, revise the procedures and change the method to calculate possible sanctions in the following aspects:
a) Updating the regulation: The regulatory framework was adapted with the inclusion of Royal Decree 817/2015, dated 11 September 2015, establishing the monitoring and evaluation criteria of the status of surface water and environmental quality norms; and Law 39/2015, dated 1 October 2015, on the common administrative procedure of the public administrations.
b) Definitions: The definitions of the pollution reduction programme and waste reduction programme were included, in addition to further shading the existing definitions to avoid errors in understanding.
c) Exceptions: The exceptions in the conditions of the wastewater vector previously included in the chapter on Prohibitions and Limitations were separated out, and a new specific article was created for them which regulates under what conditions they are affected. The exceptions described include both cases when the limits presented exceed those allowed and cases under conditions of restriction.
d) Administrative intervention legal system and procedure in the wastewater vector of activities: This has a different structure to the one presented in the RMAAR such that each article regulates the complete administrative procedure which should be carried out both by each of the activities classified within the annexes of Law 20/2009 on environmental prevention and control of activities and by those not classified by but affected by the Regulation. It also includes a detailed description of the documentation that must be submitted when beginning the request for each of the steps.
e) Revision of the administrative intervention procedure in the wastewater vector: This incorporates the cases in which a revision of the wastewater vector is considered in the substantiality criteria of the changes in the activities of Law 20/2009, dated 4 December 2009, on the environmental prevention and control of activities, issued by the Directorate General of Environmental Quality and Climate Change.
f) Validity of the administrative intervention procedure in the wastewater vector: This regulates the validity of all interventions 5 years before the date of the notification of the determination. Additionally, the new timeframe for all permits is applied to those in which no validity timeline had been specified before the Regulation entered into force. Likewise, in the specific case of the programme to lower pollution, the possibility of extending the maximum timeframe of twelve months is eliminated.
g) Limits on the dumping parameters: The maximum value of nonylphenol concentration is lowered and the non-anionic surfactant parameter is added in dumping, both of which are regulated in annexe 2.
h) Activities with obligatory previous intervention of the wastewater vector: A series of activities was added to Annexe 4 in order to update it in accordance with the latest reform undertaken by Royal Decree 638/2016, dated 9 December 2016, which emends the Regulation on the hydraulic public domain approved by Royal Decree 849/1986, dated 11 April 1986; the Regulation on hydrological planning, approved by Royal Decree 907/2007, dated 6 July 2007; and other regulations on matters involving the risk of flooding, ecological flows, hydrological reserves and wastewater dumping. Therefore, the activities introduced are: operation of camels and other Camelidae, CCAE 0144; post-harvest preparation activities, CCAE 0163; treatment of seeds for reproduction, CCAE 0164; maintenance and repair of motorcycles (excluding sales), CCAE 4540; and analyses and technical assays in chemical or biological research laboratories, CCAE 7120.
i) Calculation of the amount for sanctions of tank vehicles: The calculation method of sanctions for tank vehicle dumping is changed, the reductions established by volume change and the origin of the dumped waters is deleted.
Definitive version of the Regulation was approved by the Metropolitan Council in its session held on 29 January 2019.
Metropolitan regulation on wastewater dumping -
Ordinance to regulate the provision of public, non-taxed services applicable to the provision of the municipal potable water supply service in the geographic region of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area
The objective of this initiative is to develop the water supply rates of the municipalities in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB) as the provision of public, non-taxed services given the essential nature of the public service.
This ordinance regulates the compensation that users of the service must pay the service provider in the different geographic areas of the AMB for the public water supply service as well as for the provision of activities related to this service, while adapting the current rates and prices to the legal system currently in force and to the requirements of its approval.
The ordinance was approved by the Metropolitan Council in its session held on 26 March 2019.
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Promoting responsible water use
