ACCIONA has been awarded the San Telmo Prize in the “Best Galician Engineering Project 2022-2023” category by the Galician Branch of the Association of Civil Engineers (Colegio de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos). The company was awarded for the project to improve the treatment process at Os Praceresopens in a new tab (Pontevedra Wastewater Treatment Plant - WWTP), promoted by Augas de Galicia.

The president of the jury and dean of the Association of Civil Engineers in Galicia, Enrique Urcola Fernández-Miranda, explained that the jury appreciated the important role of the treatment plant for the well-being of the Pontevedra estuary, which has a large population and a great deal of activity in terms of shellfish harvesting, tourism, etc.

The main objective of this project was to optimize the performance of the treatment plant in order to comply with the strict discharge limits established by Directive 91/271/EEC, thus minimizing the environmental impact on the Pontevedra estuary. Among the most important actions of the project, which is part of the Pontevedra estuary sanitation plan, are the conversion of the secondary treatment to a moving bed biological reactor (MBBR) and the incorporation of a ballasted lamellar decantation system.

These improvements have optimized water treatment and reduced the environmental impact, contributing to the restoration of the estuary’s waters. The award highlights the importance of ACCIONA’s work at the WWTP, which has enabled it to reach a capacity of 77,760 m³ of water per day, serving a population of around 260,000 inhabitants.