Adasa automates the interconnections between groundwater reservoirs in Barcelona and optimises service operations in real time

2026-09-21

Adasa automates the interconnections between groundwater reservoirs in Barcelona and optimises service operations in real time

 
Adasa is rolling out automation and systems integration to interconnect groundwater reservoirs in Barcelona, with four key links and varying storage capacities: the Canopia reservoir (1,500 m³) is connected to the Passeig de Sant Joan reservoir (100 m³) and the Joan Miró reservoir (1,000 m³); Can Batlló (1,500 m³) is connected to Cota 70 (100 m³); Bella Dorita (600 m³) to Castell de Montjuïc (2,300 m³); and Bella Dorita to Joan Brossa (600 m³).
 
Specifically, Adasa is rolling out fibre-optic and/or 4G communications and installing new pumping systems in existing reservoirs to enable optimised overall management, whilst also participating in the construction of four new reservoirs.
This infrastructure, managed by BCASA (Barcelona Cicle de l’Aigua, SA), is crucial for a distributed operation with fluctuating demand and requires supervision, remote control and real-time monitoring.
 
The technical reason is structural: the groundwater level is neither uniform across the city nor constant over time. With this interconnection, the system can operate as a coordinated network: if a reservoir cannot supply the required flow rate in its area, other reservoirs can support the operation through water transfers, thereby maintaining water levels and meeting service demands.
 
In this way, the control centre manages minimum level setpoints for each reservoir and decides when to transfer groundwater based on hydraulic conditions and demand.
 
The network ceases to function as a collection of isolated assets and instead becomes a coordinated system where levels, consumption and the availability of the resource by area form the basis for real-time operational decisions.
The automation of these underground infrastructures offers a twofold benefit to Barcelona:
 
• promotes the use of groundwater to maintain public services without consuming drinking water where it is not essential, which is particularly important in the context of recurring periods of drought associated with climate change.
• monitors the condition of reservoirs in real time, maximising operational efficiency, safety and the quality of the groundwater used.
 

Real-time control of each installation: demand, hydraulic safety and quality

Each reservoir incorporates control systems designed to achieve three objectives:

1. Demand-based regulation via variable-speed drives, which adjust pumping to variable consumption levels (for example, time-slot irrigation) and improve efficiency.

2. Operational safety, with the ability to shut down remotely in the event of faults such as leaks or overpressure.

3. Guaranteed drinking water quality for people and animals, thanks to the incorporation of chlorine control and injection systems and associated instrumentation (pH, temperature and, where applicable, turbidity and/or conductivity to assess the salinity of each well).

The interconnection between reservoirs is achieved using booster pumps, soft starters and pressure control to manage operational scenarios (including pipe blockages).

Start/stop commands are issued from the control centre, supported by an algorithm that analyses hourly demand, supplemented by on-duty staff to deal with technical and mechanical incidents.

Adasa, a leader in the automation of groundwater reservoirs

Since its inception in 1998, Adasa has been involved in the bespoke design of automated regulation and control systems for Barcelona’s groundwater reservoirs, as each one operates in a different way:

  • Canopia: this has three irrigation systems for the landscaped areas of Plaça de les Glòries and Avenida Meridiana. Two systems are supplied via hydrant connections and one supplies water to the coastal ring for various services.
  • Passeig de Sant Joan: there is an irrigation system for the area around Avenida Diagonal and Passeig de Sant Joan, as well as a hydrant.
  • Joan Miró: there is an irrigation system for the entire new green corridor area along Consell de Cent.
  • Can Batlló: uses an irrigation system for the new landscaped area at Can Batlló and two hydrants.
  • Montjuïc Castle: has an irrigation system for Montjuïc hill and a fire-fighting system for the castle.
  • Joan Brossa: includes an irrigation system for the landscaped area around the Sardana monument and two hydrants.
  • Viver 3 Pins: irrigation system installed for the Botanical Garden area.
  • Cota 70: distributes groundwater for the irrigation of Montjuïc Hill.