The objective of this study was to support the consortium of water operators in the Besòs-Tordera region of Catalonia, Spain, by providing strategic guidance for the development of a Water Reuse Master Plan.
The plan focused on the following key goals:
• Ensure that all uses of potable water are converted into completely renewable sources.
• Guarantee the availability of water and strengthen the supply.
• (Continue) maintaining the water quality of potable water and water for reuse
These objectives were pursued through a series of targeted activities:
• Demand Assessment: Quantified the need for renewable water sources, including analysis of new treatment systems required to meet this demand.
• Reuse Potential by Facility: Proposed potential uses for regenerated water based on the specific characteristics of each water operator’s facility and the quality of its discharged water.
• Optimized Distribution: Analyzed and identified the most efficient strategies for distributing regenerated water within the CBT (Consorci Besòs Tordera) sanitation system, considering system capacity and the types of treatment required.
• Technology Evaluation Methodology: Developed a methodology for comparing water reuse technologies tailored to various end uses.
• Economic Analysis: Conducted a price and tariff comparison for each type of water reuse, supporting cost-effective decision-making.
Under the Project, WE&B succesfully developed/ delivered the following services:
• WE&B was tasked with conducting a comprehensive tariff analysis and providing a tailored tariff proposal for various uses and volumes of recycled water.
• As part of this, WE&B conducted a thorough examination of international water reuse tariff structures, with a detailed analysis broken down by sector type, including industry, environmental uses, and agriculture.
The tariff proposal analysis focussed on the following aspects:
i) Tariff proposal for water reuse in industrial processes (for e.g. process water, washing aggregates, etc.)
ii) Tariff proposal for water reuse in agricultural irrigation: irrigation of crops and pastures
iii) Tariff proposal for for non-potable urban uses such as landscape irrigation
iv) Tariff proposal for reuse for environmental and recreational uses
Through this structured approach, WE&B ensured that the tariff proposals met the specific needs of each sector while promoting sustainable water management practices.
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