Sabadell to Extend Recycled Water Network
Sabadell will become the first city in Catalonia to supply recycled water directly to neighbouring municipalities, under a new agreement signed with the Catalan Water Agency (ACA) and the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB). The deal, approved by Sabadell’s Local Government Board on 1 September 2026, paves the way for recycled water from the Riu-sec treatment and regeneration plant to be delivered to Sant Cugat and Cerdanyola del Vallès. The project will require the construction of a new pipeline to transport the water, serving not only the two municipalities but also the Cerdanyola Business Park and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) campus, both high-demand zones. A distribution reservoir will also be built on the turó de Sant Pau to support the network.
Construction and Funding Plan
The AMB will be responsible for executing the infrastructure works, while the ACA will cover the costs, with metropolitan co-financing. The project forms part of Catalonia’s 2022–2027 hydrological planning cycle and aims to draft the full construction design, including how Sabadell’s existing pumping system will integrate with the new supply lines. Sabadell’s first deputy mayor, Eloi Cortés (PSC), confirmed this is the first time the city has proposed direct inter-municipal supply of recycled water. Previously, users from other towns could only access it by transporting it themselves from designated points.
Water for Non-Potable Uses
Recycled water will be used for non-drinking purposes such as irrigation of green spaces, street cleaning, and in commercial and industrial processes. Sabadell also plans to extend its use to toilet flushing in certain residential areas. The goal is to reduce reliance on potable water and preserve drinking water reserves, particularly amid ongoing climate emergency and irregular rainfall patterns.
Legal Dispute Over Water Management
The development comes as Sant Cugat has taken legal action against the AMB over pending infrastructure works linked to the upcoming 25-year water service concession, expected to be awarded to Veolia. The dispute centres on responsibility for completing upgrades during the transition between water operators.
Primary sources: cugat.cat, seu.santcugat.cat, premsa.santcugat.cat, aca.gencat.cat. Reported by elperiodico.com, Diari de Sabadell, regio7.cat, 1192357, eb.sabadell.cat, docs.amb.cat, totsantcugat.cat, industriambiente.com, isabadell.cat, EFE, diarideterrassa.com.
