Friday, 10th February 2023
DIGITISATION AND ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE: THE STRATEGIC PROJECT FOR THE URBAN WATER CYCLE OF CALVIÀ AND 11 MUNICIPALITIES OF PLA DE MALLORCA
With an investment of 11.8 million euros, the e-AIGO project opts for European funds within the framework of the PERTE for the digitisation of the urban water cycle.
Calvià Town Hall together with the Mancomunitat Pla de Mallorca and Hidrobal have presented a project to digitise and adapt the water cycle in Calvià and in 11 municipalities of Pla de Mallorca to climate change. The project, called e-AIGO, has a budget of 11.8 million euros and is eligible for subsidies from the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, with Next Generation funds.
The Balearic Islands are especially vulnerable to climate change due to the insularity, with significant exposure to drought and the risk of flooding and impacts on different infrastructures. All of this affects the public and, logically, it also has an impact on an industry as sensitive and essential for this territory such as tourism.
The initiative revolves around the creation of a digital platform, with advanced technology developed by the Agbar Group (to which Hidrobal belongs), which allows the optimisation of the management of the integral water cycle, holistically integrating all internal and external variables, which facilitates the ability to react to extreme weather episodes such as heavy rains. This will prevent, for example, situations of collapse and spills into the environment in sewage systems when there is very intense rainfall. The implementation of the e-AIGO digital platform will increase the resilience of sanitation in climatic episodes by identification, sending notices and alerts in extreme rain and flood events.
The other axis of the proposal consists of adapting and improving the collection, supply, sanitation and purification infrastructures through the deployment of sensors, remote control systems, the digitisation of collections and the creation of a digital twin (virtual model for carrying out tests) of the treatment plant. The project also envisages the development of master plans, energy optimisation plans and the installation of photovoltaic panels.
Specifically, the e-AIGO project foresees 14 actions with a budget of 11.8 million euros, of which 5.6 envisage actions in Calvià (51.567 inhabitants) and 6.2 in the municipalities of the Mancomunitat Pla de Mallorca (32.446 inhabitants). The forecast is to start it, if it receives the funds from the PERTE for digitalisation of the urban water cycle, in the fourth quarter of 2023. The completion period is 24 months. The scope of action is the municipality of Calvià (together with the urban centres that make up the municipal area) and 11 of the 14 municipalities that make up the Pla de Mallorca (Algaida, Ariany, Costitx, Lloret de Vistalegre, Llubí, Maria de la Salut, Montuïri, Porreres, Santa Eugènia, Sineu and Vilafranca de Bonany).