Adasa wins PTEA award for "Best Public-Private Cooperation Project" with iBathWater

2025-03-31

Adasa wins PTEA award for "Best Public-Private Cooperation Project" with iBathWater

Adasa has been recognized with the prestigious "Best Public-Private Cooperation Project" award in the 2nd edition of the PTEA Awards for its innovative iBathWater project. This accolade underscores Adasa's excellence in developing advanced urban water management solutions and its ability to forge effective partnerships between the public and private sectors.

iBathWater is a full-scale demonstration project that implements an integrated urban sewage network management system. This innovative system aims to control and reduce the environmental impact of untreated wastewater discharges during storm events.

The project has proven its effectiveness in two major European cities: Barcelona and Berlin, where Adasa's aquaBio measurement device continues to collect data and detect concentrations of E.coli and enterococci through its optical measurement system1.

aquaBio helps improve the control, treatment, and management of wastewater in cities and their surroundings. In Barcelona, aquaBio operates at Nova Icària and Somorrostro beaches, and in Berlin, it functions in the Spree River.

A common problem
Lakes, rivers, and seas are often exposed to significant amounts of pollutants produced in urban areas.

Sewers, surface runoff, and faulty septic systems often contribute to this pollution. Even well-maintained sewer networks can overflow during heavy rainfall periods2.

For example, the 500,000 m3 capacity of Barcelona's 15 storm tanks can be overwhelmed, and rain episodes result in uncontrolled discharges of untreated wastewater into the sea (CSO, Combined Sewer Overflows).

This direct discharge increases the concentration of harmful chemicals and pathogens in water bodies. Such pollutants pose health risks when they reach peri-urban bathing areas2.

Key achievements of iBathWater

  1. Real-time monitoring: iBathWater has implemented a continuous bathing water quality monitoring system, using open-source models integrated into the Molibath platform.
  2. Discharge reduction: The decision support system (KDSS) developed in the project has reduced the annual volume of untreated stormwater overflows by 30%1.
  3. Economic and environmental efficiency: The project's sustainability assessment demonstrates that iBathWater solutions are more environmentally and economically sustainable than the construction of large traditional infrastructures.
  4. Technological innovation: The project has demonstrated the reliability and competitive advantages of aquaBio technology, which allows for reliable and rapid measurement of bathing water microbiological quality.

 

Industry recognition
This award from PTEA (Spanish Water Technology Platform) recognizes Adasa's excellence in promoting innovation and collaboration in the water sector.

At Adasa, we are proud of this recognition and remain committed to developing innovative solutions like aquaBio that improve urban water management and contribute to a more sustainable future.

More information on iBathWater
More information on aquaBio

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