Benidorm Triples Population, Maintains Water Supply

Why this is here: The water loss within Benidorm’s network has been reduced to a minimal level of 5% through the implementation of digital ecosystems and advanced technologies.

In Benidorm, Spain, Veolia manages a water system that sustains the city even as its population triples during the summer. The coastal city in the Valencia region faces significant water stress, but consistently delivers clean water to residents and roughly 6 million annual visitors. Ciriaco Clemente, Veolia’s manager in Benidorm, emphasizes providing safe water and returning it to the environment is not optional—it is essential.

The city combats challenges like nitrate contamination from agriculture and extreme seasonal demand with two key infrastructures: a Water Treatment Plant and a Wastewater Treatment Plant. Digital ecosystems, including leak detection and telecontrol systems, have lowered water loss in the network to about 5%. Currently, 35% of treated water is reused for agricultural irrigation.

Future plans include the Water Regeneration Master Plan, aiming to utilize an additional 2 cubic hectometers of regenerated water for urban uses. Though Benidorm currently manages its resources effectively, ongoing improvements are needed to ensure long-term sustainability.