Consorci Besòs Tordera presented the water regeneration pilot within Case Study 3 of the European project PROMISCES

On June 21st, 2024, the PROMISCES partners from Consorci Besòs Tordera invited interested parties to a visit and presentation of the water regeneration pilot, installed at the Montornès del Vallès Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). This pilot plant has been in operation since April 2024, focusing on eliminating complex industrial pollutants to obtain a source of regenerated water for different uses, especially agricultural ones.

The visit was given by Begoña Martínez, Head of the Ecology Department at Consorci Besòs Tordera, and Sandra Valero, Innovation Technician. During the visit, the operation of the plant was explained. The plant is based on ozonation and advanced electrochemical oxidation, combined with a subsequent nature-based treatment, with the installation of channels that simulates artificial rivers.

“Small quantities of treated water were transferred to the pilot plant and run it through different technologies that we have combined. We know from previous tests that they could help us to remove persistent contaminants such as PFAS substances”, explained Sandra Valero.

Outlet water from the pilot reaches a buffer tank, from where it is sent to a three-metre-long channel located at open-air NBS laboratory Urban River Lab (at CBT facilities). There, based on the results obtained in research carried out in this lab, water is passed through a certain type of sediment and plants. These serve to understand nature's capacity to improve and modify the conditions of the water leaving the pilot plant.

“Within the PROMISCES’ framework, innovative technologies are being developed, tested and validated in the field and under real conditions to monitor, prevent and solve the problem of persistent, mobile and potentially toxic industrial pollutants in soil, sediments and water”, explained Begoña Martínez. "The increase in water consumption and impacts of climate change, such as drought and industrial pollution, underline the need to reuse water and transform business models towards circularity and sustainability", she added.

 

The pilot completed its tests at the end of summer 2024 and the case study is currently in its final phase to evaluate the results with the rest of the partners.

The case study developed by the Consorci Besòs Tordera also includes the participation of the EURECAT Technological Centre of Catalonia and IDAEA (Institute for Environmental Diagnosis and Water Studies) of the CSIC, among others.

 

Watch the Video (Spanish)