Porto and Galicia discuss energy efficiency in Waste Water Treatment Plants

Porto City Hall and the Xunta de Galicia (Regional Executive of Galicia) will carry out a cross-border cooperation project to improve energy efficiency in Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTP) and to make residual water treatment more sustainable as well.

The Aqualitrans' mission is to improve water quality, to reduce the energy consumption and to decrease the running costs of the WWTP.

The project is led by Augas de Galicia, to which also take part Municipal Company Águas do Porto and the Institute of Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Management (INEGI) of Porto University, the Energetic Institute of Galicia (INEGA), the Consellería de Economía, Empleo e Industria, and the Fundación Instituto Tecnológico de Galicia (ITG).

This project was presented in the city of Santiago de Compostela, and it has been prepared in fulfilment of the public administrations' commitment to create an efficient and sustainable energy model for Waste Water Treatment Plants and thus contributing to achieve the sustainable development goals and the environmental protection defined in the European Strategy for Sustainable Development 2020.

The first phase of the project makes provision for a study with a view to establishing the energy consumed by 20 WWTP located both in Galicia and in the North region of Portugal, followed by the implementation of a Pilot project in the best energy efficiency premises.

This project has a budget allocation of EUR 950 million, cofinanced with ERDF funds.