Injection of pre-potable water starts in Barcelona
On the 2nd of July, the injection of sand filtered water in the drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) in Sant Joan Despí started. The injection system is totally autonomous and has been installed for the demonstration phase of the DESSIN project. The maximum capacity of injection is 50L/s and during the last three weeks 30 L/s have been injected. The pre-potable water is injected in a depth of 30 metres in a well located in the facilities of the DWTP. This well is reversible. Water can be injected if there is surplus water produced in the potabilisation process, or groundwater can be recovered, if needed.
During July and August, sampling campaigns are scheduled twice a week to assess the impact of pre-potable water in the aquifer. Chemical analyses are performed in Aigües de Barcelona Central Laboratory, including physicochemical parameters, priority pollutants and organic micropollutants. Cetaqua is doing some complementary determinations for total organic carbon, pH, electrical conductivity, hardness and pathogens in the experimental platform, located in the DWTP of Sant Joan Despí.
The equipment has been installed 6 months earlier than expected because Aigües de Barcelona has high interest in having a long period of recharge. The system will be in operation for a minimum of one year, as effects in groundwater can appear at mid-term. The equipment cost is about 35K€ and allows to test the injection of sand water independently on the needs for groundwater of the DWTP, as the rest of the dual wells (injection-extraction) will be fully operative during the demonstration phase.
