Water digitalization | Strategic projects in Spain for urban solutions and irrigation
Water cycle digitalization was the main focus during the Smart Water Sumit, that took place in Madrid earlier in the fall. Key players in the implementation of the Project for the Economic Recovery and Transformation of Digitalization of the Water Cycle (PERTE) discussed their progress.
What is a PERTE? It’s a national government based mechanism funded by NEXTGeneration Funds deployed for strategic sectors. For the water sector, the PERTE essentially favors the creation of digital twins in water infrastructures, to improve efficiency, but also to facilitate maintenance and detect failures and losses more easily. PERTE’s funds are allocated to private parties through public calls. So far, two calls have been awarded for the urban cycle and one for the irrigation/rural cycle.
Water companies in Spain are making rapid progress on this issue as they are already well on their way to digitization. For the urban water cycle, projects have been awarded to companies such as Aqualia, Acciona Agua, Global Omnium and Saur. Each project has been allocated between 10 and 15 million euros and have execution periods of 2-3 years. They are located in the Canary Islands, Albacete, Asturias, Valencia, among other municipalities. The overreaching goal is to benefit several municipalities, and not so much larger cities that already have a higher degree of digitization.
One of the main challenges is to ensure that digitization becomes a systemic solution for the entire nation, and is not limited to those municipalities that have been awarded resources. On the other hand, it is still important to control water losses (or unregistered water). For urban contexts, about 25% of the water in Spain is lost.
Irrigation consumes 80% of the water in Spain, i.e. 25.000 cubic hectometers is the demand of the agricultural sector. Irrigation in Spain accounts for 23% of the surface area and that area represents 65% of final agricultural production. However it is not known what is the unregistered water in irrigation. A practice that often affects vulnerable ecological areas. It is essential to measure and install metering devices. Reason why the connection with digitalization is important. This can lead to great water savings.
The PERTE for agriculture is implementing first call for project applications. PERTEs are awarded to specific projects in Spain promoted by public-private entities in the country. Parties such as Hidroconta, Hach, the Polytechnic University of Valencia and Acciona are part of this effort. They are analyzing the use of reclaimed water and crop absorption maximization in Murcia and other areas of southern Spain. It is still necessary to find the balance of the type of water required by each crop. There is no single solution. In other words, not all shortages can be solved with treated or desalinated water.
The projects are distributed around Duero, Ebro and Jucar rivers. They will focus on solutions to improve water and energy efficiency, solutions for monitoring water quality and quantity, as well as surveilling ground water to optimize irrigation and fertilization. Around 100 million Euros were offered. However, many of the 7,200 irrigation communities, haven’t shown interest. In the eyes of professional water companies a missed opportunity because implementing modern, digital and more efficient rural irrigations is the country’s biggest opportunity for water-saving.
According to Spanish Authorities, the PERTE for the digitization of the water cycle has mobilized about 925 million Euro, 54% was awarded to urban cycle operators, 20% to the Autonomous Communities, 16% to the Hydrographic Confederations and 8% to irrigation users connected, to the so-called ‘communidades de regantes’.
The second call for irrigation has been launched this October. This call introduces more flexibility and additional options for smaller projects. The date for submitting applications begins on December 9, 2024 and ends on January 22, 2025. The overreaching goal is to reduce water losses and improve water management in the agri-food sector.
While almost 80% of the water in Spain is destined for agriculture, most of the PERTE’s resources are directed to improve the efficiency of urban water usage. A sector that has been open to technical developments and digitalization for a longer time than the irrigation sector. However, it is worth noting that the Ministry of Ecological Transition is receptive to incorporate suggestions that will make irrigation calls more robust and accessible to applicants.
Sources: iAgua - Smart Water Summit, Spanish Ministry of Ecological Transition (MITECO)