• Sector specialists highlighted the need for innovation in the context of climate change to improve water management efficiency during a meeting organized by Prensa Ibérica at the Canal Isabel II facilities

Water is the source of life. No wonder, the major European capitals developed alongside great rivers like the Thames and the Seine. This is not the case for Madrid. The Spanish capital has had to be resourceful in securing the necessary water resources. “Water, along with energy, is one of the pillars of economic and social development. This is why 173 years ago, the decision was made to launch the Canal de Isabel II, Madrid’s great river,” said Carlos Novillo, the Minister of Environment, Agriculture, and Interior of the Community of Madrid, during his speech at the event Strategic Water Challenges, recently organized in the capital by El Periódico de España, ‘activos’, and the Prensa Ibérica group. The event was sponsored by Cajamar, FI Group, Gestagua, Minsait, and Thinking Heads and supported by Aragonex, the Association of Engineers, and the Institute of Engineering of Spain.

Novillo highlighted that one of the major challenges Madrid is currently facing is the increasing population. “The region is growing at a rate of 110,000 people per year. This forces us to manage water more efficiently,” he explained. “We have installed over a million smart meters and we contact customers with abnormal consumption. This has allowed us to save a lot of water. We are a model of management, and other countries have contacted us to learn from us,” exemplified Fernando Arlandis, assistant to the CEO and member of the Canal de Isabel II Management Committee.

International Example

Water resource management is a challenge for all regions of Spain, even those where rain is frequent. This is what the speakers at the roundtable The Challenge of Spain in the Face of Water Stress highlighted, moderated by José Trigueros, president of the Association of Civil Engineers, Canals, and Ports. “In Spain, there is water for everyone, but it needs to be planned, and it must be done during times of abundance”, stated Trigueros.

Regarding this point, Luis Antonio Martínez, Deputy Director of Hydrological Planning, pointed out that Spain’s water management in recent years is an international example. “In the 90s, we acted in emergency situations. However, in recent times, we have opted to create hydrological plans to address chronic water shortages,” he stated. “The drought in the Guadalquivir in recent years has been very similar to the one in the 90s. In 2023 there were problems, but the situation was very different”, assured Martínez.

Not Just Savings

In other parts of Spain, like Galicia, water stress problems may seem less significant. “Our region is one of the rainiest in the country. But we must take into account that our storage capacity is small. Additionally, the population centers we need to supply are scattered. This adds complexity to water management,” explained Carlos Guillermo Ruiz del Portal, head of hydrological planning for the Miño-Sil Hydrographic Confederation, who also pointed out that drought episodes in this area are becoming more frequent. To manage these circumstances, engineering companies have continuously innovated to achieve more efficient water use. “From engineering, we work to adapt infrastructure to climate change. We need to encourage water savings and its availability by using engineering solutions that increase available water resources,” explained José García, head of water resources and flood management at EPTISA.

New Technologies for Innovation

The importance of planning and innovation to preserve and improve the use of water resources was another topic discussed during the meeting Strategic Water Challenges. “New technologies must help us build the new developments for water”, stated Antonio Morlanes, president of Aragonex, who moderated the roundtable Innovation Projects and Best Practices.

The financial institution Cajamar, linked to southern Spain, is very aware of the issues related to water scarcity. “For this reason, five years ago, we launched a start-up accelerator to promote technological disruption and test these projects in the agrifood industry,” highlighted Ricardo García, director of Cajamar Innova.

For his part, FI Group’s representative, Javier Castaño, explained the importance for companies to have financing to innovate in technological projects and pointed out the opportunity to access European funds to do so. “We have 4,000 clients that we are already helping to develop. We think that AI will transform everything we know, and we must leverage it for water management,” he stated.

Process Digitalization

Saur Internacional emphasized the development of solutions to improve water management processes. “In Spain and Portugal, we have companies that are leaders in process digitalization,” said Alberto Provencio, CIO of Saur Internacional, who also insisted on the need to promote the circular economy and water treatment.

Indeed, digitalization is one of the key elements that experts consider essential for efficient management. “Data management is fundamental, and it is necessary to use it to improve corporate governance”, explained Víctor García, senior manager in the water practice of the Energy market at Minsait (Indra Group).

The roundtable titled Peace, Water, and Life focused on the importance of proper water planning to preserve the natural environment. Joaquín Melgarejo, spokesperson for the Environment of the PP in the Spanish Congress, pointed out that Spain is characterized by its irregular rainfall regime. “In this country, there is plenty of water, but at the same time, there is also 40% of the territory facing significant drought problems. We need to arbitrate water transfers between basins”, he requested.

Structural Problem

For his part, Gonzalo Delacámara, director of the Water and Climate Change Adaptation Center at IE University, agreed with Melgarejo’s diagnosis and stated that Spain faces a structural water problem. “The challenge now is to manage the economic activities developed around the basins to ensure long-term water security in the context of climate change,” stated Delacámara.

In this regard, Pablo Cousteau, deputy to the president of ASEPEL, emphasized the need to fight against climate change. “The blue economy is an opportunity to invest in projects that preserve nature. In addition to green bonds, we need to promote blue bonds”, he explained.