In a society marked by demographic growth and extreme climate phenomena, sanitation services represent a fundamental defense barrier for people’s health. Nearly 3.4 billion people do not have access to clean water, according to data from the World Health Organization, which the United Nations commemorates every November 19th with World Health Day.
Faced with this scenario, Veolia is committed to solutions based on the circular economy and technological innovation. The company, which manages the water supply to 13.5 million people in more than 1,100 municipalities and treats more than 25% of the country’s wastewater, has developed the ecofactory concept, which transforms traditional treatment plants into complete plants based on four pillars: regenerating and reusing wastewater, valorising waste, reducing energy consumption and producing green energy and minimizing environmental impact. Structures such as the Sur de Granada ecofactory or the Baix Llobregat ecofactory are two paradigmatic examples.
Veolia draws on its more than decade of experience in wastewater monitoring in Spain to also lead an innovative project together with the CSIC, Cetaqua and the University of Santiago de Compostela, which will implement a European-scale early warning system through wastewater analysis. This programme, part of the EU4Health initiative, will analyze up to 500 samples from European cities for emerging pathogens and contaminants, establishing an epidemiological surveillance network.
