We design, build, and operate water treatment and purification facilities.

We have been developing purification, potabilization, and desalination technologies of the highest quality and with the utmost respect for the environment for almost 50 years. Particularly noteworthy among our concessions and other long-term contracts are the desalination plants in Ceuta, Melilla, Al Ghubrah, Aguilas-Guadalentín, Valdelentisco and Alicante, as well as the Utebo sewage treatment plant in Zaragoza. 

Our Operation and Maintenance specialists ensure the continual improvement of processes and promote implementing improvements for both new projects and plants that are in operation. 

Our projects include water treatment centers for human consumption (WTC), wastewater treatment plants (WWTP), industrial wastewater treatment plants (IWWTP), ocean water desalination facilities (OWDF), also called desalination plants, and thermal sludge drying plants for urban treatment facilities. These drying plants are often integrated directly into WWTPs and have important security systems.  

The desalination plants have reverse osmosis technology, which we are recognized worldwide. 

How Do We Innovate?

We develop tools for the simulation, management, and maintenance of WWTPs in order to put our know-how to use for each project. That way, we can optimize the biological processes at the different plants. 

We also carry out research projects with advanced technologies, such as submerged membrane bioreactors (MBR), in aerobic and anaerobic conditions, anammox treatments in digestion returns, and in the main line, advanced oxidation processes for removing contaminants that are of growing concern, biofouling control at underwater intakes, remineralization with dolomites, energy optimization in reverse osmosis, and more. 

In addition, we collaborate on internationally recognized projects, such as Hydrothermal Sludge Carbonization with the STORM project (in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology), or those that are funded through the European Regional Development Fund, such as Membace, which uses ultrafiltration membranes to eliminate bacteria. 

Our Commitment to the Environment

At Cadagua, we contribute to the conservation of natural resources through our activities’ environmental integration by designing, building, and operating sustainable plants. 

The requirements stemming from our Integrated System for Quality, Environment, Energy, and R&D&I are the best guarantee we can offer our Customers, Administration, and Society regarding our commitment to sustainable evolution. To this end, we provide training in the engineering, construction, and operation of infrastructure for water and waste management, and we drive innovation in developing new technologies that can be used to protect the environment and prevent pollution. 

We try to eliminate waste production, as the landfill is a last resort, and we encourage reuse and recycling of waste products as much as possible. Waste management must always be carried out while ensuring environmental protection, and as such, we use the best technologies available that are economically suitable. 

In our commitment to improving environmental management, we’ve gone a step further by implementing and checking the environmental management system at the Valdelentisco Desalination Plant according to ‘Regulation (EC) No. 1221/2009, on the voluntary participation of organizations in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS)’ and Regulation (EU) No 2017/1505, which represents the highest level of environmental requirements at the European level, as it is the first desalination plant in Europe to meet these standards.

Subsequently, and continuing in this commitment, this environmental management system was implemented at the Aguilas-Guadalentín Desalination Plant. In order to comply with the EMAS requirement regarding public availability of the information in the Environmental Declaration, the Aguilas-Guadalentín Desalination Plant’s verified Environmental Statement is available below.