Catalonia must overhaul its water financing model to prepare for droughts and extreme rainfall, the Catalan Water Agency (ACA) warned on Thursday 12th November, as reported by CatalunyaPress. Elisabet Mas, director of the ACA's Supply Area, told CatalunyaPress that the current water levy collects around €500 million annually, but over €350 million already goes toward operating and replacing wastewater treatment plants.
This leaves only about €150 million for other infrastructure, new projects, and maintenance across the region’s dams, monitoring systems, and supply networks. Mas stressed that this financial pressure demands a rethink under the upcoming water transition law, to ensure long-term resilience.
Desalination and reuse under review
To reduce reliance on rainfall, the ACA is promoting desalination, water reuse, and purification as key pillars of a more diversified supply. The Special Drought Plan is also being revised to improve emergency responses and avoid stringent restrictions in future dry periods.
The challenge is to act in advance, even when reservoirs recover, to reduce exposure to future shortages.
Private investment proposed
Rubén Ruiz, Technical and Operations Director at Veolia Spain, advocated for private financing to accelerate infrastructure upgrades while maintaining public ownership. He highlighted the need to modernise existing treatment plants, where space and permitting constraints make new builds difficult.
The debate, moderated by Carles Conill of the College of Civil Engineers, also addressed flood preparedness, calling for better planning, public drills, and natural flood management in vulnerable areas.
Sources: CatalunyaPress.
