Innovation

Management based on sustainable innovation.

Innovative solutions to meet
the great environmental challenges
 

Only through a solid research and development (I&D) policy is it possible to offer our customers a service aligned with the highest quality standards. We have a team of highly trained professionals who actively participate in numerous innovation projects, developing pioneering solutions to face environmental challenges.

Aguas de Murcia maintains continuous collaboration with various entities for the development of the different projects it carries out, including:

  • Government bodies
  • Universities
  • Technology centres
  • Companies

These collaborations generate synergies and common goals that contribute to a more efficient and sustainable management of our activity.

  • Objectives

    • Improvement of water management processes, to make them more efficient and sustainable.
    • Development and improvement of products and services that ensure sustainability in the water cycle.
    • Search for innovative solutions to major environmental challenges.

  • Strategic lines

    • Circular economy. Implementation and development of operational technologies and practices that are more efficient in the use of resources and reducing environmental impact.
    • Public well-being. Positive impact on the well-being of the public.
    • Water, quality and health. Development and optimisation of processes that ensure quality, health and safety.
    • Resilience and adaptation to climate change. Anticipation of the visible effects of climate change, incorporating new designs and materials into facilities.

  • Noteworthy projects

    • LIFE WARRIOR

      Innovative and profitable approach to water reuse in compliance with the new European regulatory framework for agricultural irrigation (Regulation of adaptation to the reuse of water for agriculture). In the project, EMUASA plays a key role by leading the construction and demonstration of the pilot plant, coordinating workshops with interested parties and carrying out the socioeconomic and sustainability evaluation of the implemented solutions (Life Warrior Project)

      Coordinator contact information: Cetaqua:info@cetaqua.com

      List of partners:

      • CETAQUA, Centro Tecnológico del Agua, Fundación privada
      • Empresa Municipal de Aguas y Saneamiento de Murcia, S.A. (Aguas de Murcia, EMUASA)
      • Aquatec Soluciones Medioambientales


       

      Expected results of the Project:

      • 15% reduction in treatment cost compared to conventional alternatives.
      • 35% reduction in CO2 emissions from these processes.

       

      Funding statement:

      LIFE WARRIOR is a European project co-funded by the LIFE Programme (LIFE21-ENV-ES-WARRIOR 101074367), the European Union's funding instrument for environment and climate action. The overall objective of LIFE is to contribute to the implementation, updating and development of EU environment and climate policy and legislation by co-funding projects with European added value. The views and opinions belong solely to the author(s) and don not necessarily reflect those of the European Commission or CINEA. Neither the European Commission nor the awarding authority can be held responsible for these views.

    • LIFE CONQUER

      Project to promote zero waste by the selective treatment of groundwater contaminated with nitrates and salts, for use in irrigation of parks and gardens. Nitrates are kept as fertilizer and salts are eliminated transforming them into sodium hypochlorite which will be used in the different treatment plants. EMUASA plays a fundamental role in this project, managing the acquisition of permits for the installation of the prototype in the Zarandona wastewater treatment plant, its construction, operation and optimization, as well as the transfer of brine recovery units to a wastewater treatment plant. Reverse osmosis (RO) saline water in Murcia. Additionally, it provides essential data for environmental and economic evaluations of the project (Life Conquer Project).

       

    • LIFE MERLIN

      Project that seeks to maximize biogas production by combining sludge pretreatment with co-digestion using innovative technologies and digital tools. Implemented in the treatment plants of Murcia Este and Monte Orgegia (Alicante), LIFE MERLIN will contribute to the energy independence and decarbonization of the EU, reducing CO2 emissions and improving efficiency in waste management. EMUASA plays a fundamental role in the design, construction, operation and data collection of pilot plants, as well as in the evaluation of results and the development of digital tools to optimize the process (Life Merlin Project).

      Coordinator contact information: Cetaqua:info@cetaqua.com

      List of partners:

      • CETAQUA, Centro Tecnológico del Agua, Fundación privada
      • Empresa Municipal de Aguas y Saneamiento de Murcia, S.A. (Aguas de Murcia, EMUASA)
      • Aguas Municipalizadas de Alicante, S.L. (Aguas de Alicante, AMAEM)
      • CREATECH SOLUTIONS, S.L.
      • LABAQUA, S.A.U.


       

      Expected results of the Project:

      • 7% total annual reduction in electricity consumed at the Monte Orgegia and Murcia Este wastewater treatment plants.
      • 17% total annual increase in renewable energy produced for self-consumption at the Monte Orgegia and Murcia Este wastewater treatment plants.
      • 7% total annual reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

       

      Funding statement:

      LIFE MERLIN is a European project co-funded by the LIFE Programme (LIFE23- CCM-ES-LIFE MERLIN 101158094), the European Union's funding instrument for environment and climate action. The overall objective of LIFE is to contribute to the implementation, updating, and development of EU environment and climate policy and legislation by co-funding projects with European added value. The views and opinions of the authors are those of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Commission nor the awarding authority can be held responsible for these views.

    • H2020 CARDIMED

      Developing climate resilience in the Mediterranean region by deploying digital infrastructure to improve data collection and evaluation processes, providing open data to all those involved in the Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) value chain. and integrating crucial functions for Climate Resilience. EMUASA participates as an entity associated with the Murcia City Council, contributing to the sustainability, replicability and transferability of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), which in this case corresponds to a Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) in a flood-prone area of ​​the city. Their role includes collaborating on the task of replication and transferability in the Mediterranean region and other biogeographical areas of the EU, working on the co-creation of training programs and sharing experiences and knowledge to promote climate resilience through NBS (Cardimed Project).

    • EARLY ALERT SYSTEM AGAINST AVENUES AND INTEGRAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR SEWER MAINTENANCE

      Development of various computer applications to offer services focused on the management of drinking water supply, sanitation, evacuation and treatment of wastewater for EMUASA.

    • CONNECTION RENEWAL PILOT THROUGH TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM

      Implementation of a trenchless technology that allows the replacement of old lead and polyethylene pipes by other pipes of suitable materials in an economical and effective way, reducing the inconvenience caused to citizens.

    • FLUSER PILOT PLANT

      Experimental pilot plant whose objective is to reproduce, with the greatest degree of similarity possible and in a versatile way, the characteristics of the Murcia Este treatment plant used in R+D+i projects, where new reagents and process combinations are tested, etc..

    • PILOT PLANT DWTP CONTRAPARADA

      Pilot plant at the scale of the industrial plant where all the treatment processes of the La Contraparada DWTP are included, which allows experimenting with new reagents and stages aimed at improving the process while eliminating risks.

    • BIVITOX

      Toxicity Surveillance System in the catchment of the DWTP La Contraparada, consisting of a computer tool for monitoring the behavior of Percasol, a fish, which allows the detection of contaminants.

    • ECOCAPTURA

      Collection system by modules, installed as pilot tests this collection system in the spillways of the Carril Compuertas in Sangonera la Verde, in the Cabezo Cortado Industrial Estate, in the Montepinar Urb. of El Esparragal and in the BRC Sangonera I Puente.

    • HYDROCONTROL

      Design of dashboards for flow control and efficient water management through detailed analysis of data from flowmeters, calculations of daily balances and integration of reports to optimize the search for leaks and hydraulic performance.

    • SPIDER PROTECT

      Development of an innovative prototype of an anti-fall system in sewer covers for maintenance operations.

    • CODIGESTATIVE TESTS EDAR MURCIA ESTE

      Carrying out co-digestion tests with waste from a candy factory with the purpose of improving co-digestion processes in Murcia East, increasing biogas production.