The vice president of the Government and minister for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO), Teresa Riberaand the Minister of Climate Action of the Generalitat of Catalonia, David Maskortmet this morning in Barcelona to coordinate the work between both administrations that address the situation of drought emergency in which Catalonia finds itself.
At the meeting they specified two lines of action for financing and assistance that he Government of Spain makes available to face the current water crisis. “Our position is clear: everything in our power is available to help other administrations, even beyond the powers of the central State,” the vice president motivated. Teresa Ribera after the meeting.
As structural measures, they have announced the financing for the development of the Tordera II and Foix desalination plants projects. The Government will provide credit transferred from the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, with an investment of 467 million euros in total.
Regarding emergency measures, the Government will make available desalinated water from Sagunto, Valencia, which will be transported by boat to the city of Barcelona. It will make it possible to have desalinated water of up to 40,000 m³ per day starting in June, which will be determined according to need.
MITECO will increase more than 80 hm³/year of desalination with photovoltaic energy
The Vice President Ribera has announced that the Tordera II desalination plant will be located next to Tordera I, in the town of Blanes, and will be operational in 2028. The investment for this project is 287 million euros. It will treat 60 hm³ per year, which will allow multiply the current desalination capacity by four of the current complex.
On the other hand, the investment for the new Foix desalination infrastructure is 180 million euros and will be located between the towns of Cunit and Cubelles. It will come into operation in 2029 with a treatment capacity of 20 hm³ per year. Both facilities will have photovoltaic installations for the energy consumption of their activities.
The projects will be developed by the public company Acuamed. “In the coming weeks I will bring to the Council of Ministers the modification of the Acuamed management agreement to be able to launch the projects,” the vice president announced. Teresa Ribera.
These actions pursue a triple objective. Guarantee the water supply of the provinces of Girona, Tarragona and Barcelona; a progressive reduction of the transfer from the Ter to Barcelona; and, finally, reduce extractions from aquifers in poor ecological condition on the Catalan coast.
Spain is now European leader in desalinated water production. Fourth place worldwide in installed capacity. Total, Our country produces about 5 million cubic meters of treated water per daya crucial system in the supply of drinking water in situations of scarcity.
Given this strategy of anticipating the impacts of the drought of the Government of Spain, the objective is double water desalination and reuse capacity as established in the current Third Cycle Hydrological Plans approved last legislature.
MITECO will charter two ships from Sagunto to Barcelona
After “an exhaustive evaluation of alternatives”, the ministry has determined how “simpler and more viable” solution the transfer of water by boat from the Sagunto desalination plant, in the Valencian Community and owned by the state, to the port of Barcelona. This is how the vice president explained it Teresa Ribera after the meeting.
Currently the plant operates at 10% of its capacity and may increase its activity for this emergency measure. «If the situation does not improve, the transfer will begin in June and may reach a maximum of 40,000 m3 of water transported in two ships per day“he specified Ribera.
In the meeting between the vice president and the councilor, it was agreed that the cost of the increase in water treatment will be assumed by the central governmentwhile the management operation with the ships will be assumed by the Government of Catalonia.
As Ribera explained, this measure does not present any impact on the community of origin, since it does not supply water to its population. On Saturday, the vice president called the president of the Valencian Generalitat, Carlos Mazónto inform you of the proposal, which received the support of the leader of the autonomous government.