New water treatment plant boosts Barcelona's drought resilience

The ETAP Estrella water treatment plant was inaugurated in Sant Feliu de Llobregat, strengthening water supply security for the Barcelona metropolitan area Source: El Confidencial. The plant can treat up to 1,000 liters per second at peak capacity, enough to supply 15% of the metropolitan area in an emergency, though normal operation is around 400 liters per second Source: La Vanguardia.

Technical specifications

The facility uses a combination of activated carbon (75%) and reverse osmosis (25%) to meet stringent EU water quality standards Source: La Vanguardia. The 45.9 million euro investment was funded through the water tariff and is part of a broader plan to enhance hydrological resilience, including works on the Besòs-Trinitat plant Source: El Confidencial.

Inauguration and context

The inauguration was led by President of the Generalitat Salvador Illa, along with other officials and representatives from Veolia and Aigües de Barcelona Source: El Confidencial. The plant also features green infrastructure, such as a vegetated facade and bird feeders, irrigated with reclaimed or groundwater Source: El Confidencial.