Challenges for sustainable water management: scarcity, drought and debt in Barcelona

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1 Challenges for sustainable water management: scarcity, drought and debt in Barcelona David Sauri Departament de Geografia Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

2 The two hydrographic basins of Catalonia

3 ACA, 2008

4 The water supply system in Barcelona ATLL ( Aigües Ter Llobregat ):public company belonging to the regional Department of the Environment. Distributes bulk water from reservoirs to companies supplying the cities of the Metropolitan Region of Barcelona. AGBAR:private company (70% of capital belongs to Suez Environnement since October 2009). Distributes water to domestic customers in Barcelona and Metropolitan Area. AGBAR is the largest water company of Spain supplying 13 million people in 1200 municipalities. It also supplies 10 million customers in Algeria, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico and the United Kingdom.

6 ENTER THE DROUGHT

7 Average annual precipitation of Catalonia inner basins. HIstogram (blue) indicates variation in precipitation with respect to the average value The line (red) indicates variation in accumulated annual precipitation with respect to the average accumula ted annual precipitation ACA 2008

8 Simulated trends of water stored in the Ter- Llobregat reservoir system Alerta Emergència I,II,III i IV Excepcionalitat Volum a fi de mes (hm 3 ) Worst situation in 67 years

9 Water stored in Ter-LLobregat reservoirs. January 2006 to April 2008 ACA, 2008

10 August 2006

11 February 2008

14 Water stored in Ter LLobregat reservoirs. April to June 2008 Volum Embassat a 16/06/2008 Hm³ % Total Conques Internes* Total Conques Catalanes Ebre Reservas embalsadas en el sistema Ter-Llobregat Estado de los sistemas

16 AQUA-DOMITIA

19 The New Cornucopia? Desalination plants along the Mediterranean coast Desalination plants as the compromise solution to the tension between increasing demands of water (increase of the supply) along the Mediterranean coast and New Water Culture of the donor basins In 2009 desalination plants are expected to supply around 1,250 cubic hm3.

Desalination Plant in Barcelona Flows Average production flow Maximum capacity 60 cubic hm/year 200,000 cubic meters/day 2,31 cubic meters/second Cost Budget 230 M EUR Maximum

20 Desalination Plant in Barcelona Flows Average production flow Maximum capacity 60 cubic hm/year 200,000 cubic meters/day 2,31 cubic meters/second Cost Budget 230 M EUR Maximum flow from the sea 6 cubic meters/second Inverse osmosis proces Seawater salt concentration Produced water salt concentration Salt elimination performance 39,700 ppm 110 ppm 97%

21 ENTER WATER DEMAND

22 Population change in the city of Barcelona population change in Barcelona population year

23 Poopulation change in the Metropolitan Region of Barcelona Population change Metropolitan Region of Barcelona population year

In Spain, and concretely in the Mediterranean, this is a very important issue regarding water resources conservation Water

25 Urban sprawl in the Mediterranean coast and water consumption Suburbanization and the proliferation of low dense residential fabrics is not only a problem of Barcelona but also strongly affect the Spanish Mediterranean coast and other parts of Europe In Spain, and concretely in the Mediterranean, this is a very important issue regarding water resources conservation Water consumption in the dense city: around 130 lpd (liters/person/day) Water consumption in suburban areas: > 200 lpd, with cases >500 lpd

26 Urban Density and domestic water consumption hab/km 2 urbanitzat Relació entre el consum facturat d'aigua domèstica i la densitat urbana en una mostra de municipis de l'àrea metropolitana de Barcelona (1999) L'Hospitalet St. Adrià del Besòs Martorell Barcelona St. Feliu de Llobregat Sabadell Premià de Dalt Sitges Cabrera Arenys de Munt de Mar Matadepera litres/habitant/dia Rivera, Capellades, Saurí, 2001

Very dense urban pattern Population density of Barcelona: near 17.

27 Very dense urban pattern Population density of Barcelona: near persons/sq kilometre Paris: persons/sq kilometre London: persons/sq kilometre Los Angeles: persons/sq kilometre

28 High Efficiencies of water distribution networks 98 % of domestic water is metered (But individual metering may not necessarily be always the most efficient option; Barraqué, 2011) Physical efficiencies of delivery networks: Aigües Ter-Llobregat (ATLL): 97% Aigües de Barcelona (AGBAR): 93 % (*) (*) Does not include losses by faulty meters or frauds (about 10% of all water delivered on the average for Barcelona)

29 Average price for domestic water users. Spain 2009 Source: Asociación española de abastecimientos de agua y saneamiento, 2010

30 Average water prices (excluding VAT) for selected Spanish Cities CITY WATER PRICE ( EURO/CUBIC METER) Palencia 0.68 La Coruña 1.01 Zaragoza 1.14 Toledo 1.34 Málaga 1.55 Madrid 1.77 Valencia 1.89 Sevilla 1.97 Barcelona 2.02 Las Palmas Gran Canaria 2.13 Alicante 2.16 Murcia 2.60 Source: OCU, 2010

31 Average water tariffs for households with 3 members (VAT excluded). Selected Spanish Cities CITY 10 m3/month 20 m3/month La Coruña Zaragoza Malaga Valencia Madrid Barcelona Sevilla Alicante Cadiz Palma Mallorca Murcia Source: FACUA. Consumidores en acción

32 Water in household budgets Item Euros/household/year Percentage of total household spending Water and sanitation Bottled water, soft drinks Electricity and gas Telephone Coffees and restaurants INE, Survey of Spanish household budgets, 2007

33 Water price in Catalonia. Comparisons with other areas (euros/cubic meter) (mid 2000s). Data equalized according to purchasing power in each area

34 Prices of water in selected European cities ( for an average annual consumption of 200 cubic meters) Source: Asociación española de abastecimientos de agua y saneamiento, 2010

35 Increase in the average price of water (euros/cubic metre) in Spanish cities ( )

36 The Barcelona water war ( ): A case of distributional conflict in ecological modernization Neighborhood community groups in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona stopped paying the tax part of the water bill in protest for theincrease. The area potentially affected by the tax revolt covered a total of 23 municipalities and a total population of 2.6 million people. At the end of the 1990s more than 80,000 families objected to the payment of taxes. Conflict solved by the creation of the Catalan Water Agency in 1999 and the unification of all water taxes in a single tax ( cànon de l aigua )

37 The Geography of the Barcelona Water War

39 Water awareness campaigns

41 Water savings by Barcelona citizens during the drought of 2008 El Periódico, 22 september 2008

42 Urban and Industrial water consumption in the Internal Basins of Catalonia (in cubic hectometers)

45 Population and water consumption in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, (thousand m 3 ) P Population

46 ENTER THE DEBT

47 THE (PERVERSE) FINANCING OF THE CATALAN WATER AGENCY The ACA was created in 1999 assuming the previous tasks (and a 571 milion euro debt!) of several departments dealing with different parts of the water cycle in Catalonia. 95 percent of the budget depends on the water tax ( mandatory for urban and industrial users). Therefore, strong dependency of revenue on water consumption IF CONSUMPTION DECLINES SO DOES REVENUE FROM TAXES!!! Since the water tax only provides 65 percent of the money needed, the ACA had to apply for loans to cover its budget thus increasing debt

48 The aftermath of the drought Cost: 490 milion euro ( some 18 milion in shipping water by tankers; 22 milion in unused pipes and otehr materials for emergency transfers) ACA under siege by conservative forces which claimed against proposed solutions fo the new water culture and insisted in bringing water from France The drought also showed important internal contradictions in the ACA, i.e recurring to water transfers when this option was ruled out by the New Water Culture inspiring ACA s policies. Furthermore, it created antagonism (also directed to Barcelona) in other parts of Catalonia

49 ACA INVESTMENTS (in milion euro) Area Water Supply Flood control and fluvial management Sanitation TOTAL 147,84 149,57 139, ,97

50 A critical financial situation Debt (ACA+ATLL)= 2.2 bilion euro in 2010 It has become necessary to refinance the debt in order to be able to pay just the interests Practical situation of bankrupcy when banks have cut credit off Furthermore, EU cohesion funds for investing in water infrastructures is not available anymore

51 The escalating water debt of the ACA ( ) (in milion euro)

52 Actions (so far...) Increase of the water tax by 8.5 percent (effective October 2011) except for retirees with minimum pensions and unemployed households Likely increase of up to 10 percent more in 2012 Freeze in all new investments (especially desalination plants) Freeze in advanced wastewater systems ( N and P removal) in the El Prat wastewater treatment plant and freeze in programs of water re-use (i.e. hydraulic barrier of the Llobregat delta addressed to contain seawater intrusion and protect groundwater in the delta) Default in compensating local councils for expenses in wastewater treatment plants (some 380 million euro) Possible massive firing of ACA employees

53 9 November 2011: Concentration of ACA employees

54 (ALTERNATIVE) SOLUTIONS: WHAT ROLE FOR DECENTRALIZED SYSTEMS?

55 RAINWATER HARVESTING Collection of rainwater runoff generated from an impermeable surface and its storage for later use Components of the system: catchments area, gutters, storage tank Rural rainwater harvesting systems Urban rainwater harvesting systems

Example: GREYWATER REUSE Greywater is low

treatment, greywater may be reused on site Uses

56 Example: GREYWATER REUSE Greywater is low polluted water which includes all the wastewater produced in a household with the exception of the wastewater from toilet flushing After treatment, greywater may be reused on site Uses given to greywater: toilet flushing, garden watering and laundry

WATER SAVINGS AT HOME: TECHNOLOGIES AND SYSTEMS For Flats For condominiums

Maximum potential savings TECHNOLOGY Indoor consumption Same as in flats

regulator 50%* 50%* A) B) 20-40% WC s Dual flushing systems C) Use of

57 WATER SAVINGS AT HOME: TECHNOLOGIES AND SYSTEMS For Flats For condominiums and houses TECHNOLOGY Indoor consumption Taps Taps with flow regulators Maximum potential savings TECHNOLOGY Indoor consumption Same as in flats Outdoor consumption Maximum potential savings Showers Thermostatic tap+ flow regulator 50%* 50%* A) B) 20-40% WC s Dual flushing systems C) Use of efficient irrigation systems 4-10 % 30%* *Ecoaigua I Departament de Medi Ambient i Habitatge

58 Conclusion The combination of droughts, increasing indebtedness in the middle of a huge financial crises, and declining water demand has produced a situation of bankrupcy in both ACA and ATLL. The current regional government foresees the possibility of agreements with private partners regarding the management of parts of the hydrological cycle such as wastewater plants or the supply of bulk water from reservoirs. If it finally occurs, privatization, however, may probably take a nuancedform: specific packages, certain management functions, reliance of the alibi provided by Public Private Partnerships, etc. Competition from decentralized systems just a wishful thinking or a real possibility?

ATHENS WEEK IN PARIS 22 November 2012

ATHENS WEEK IN PARIS 22 November 2012 MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE OF AGBAR WATER. Pere Verger Cortés 1. INTRODUCTION TO WATER SUPPLY IN BARCELONA 2. NEW TREATMENTS IN WTP 3. NEW SOURCES FOR SUPPLYING 4. ARTIFICIAL