The global water crisis faces an invisible yet devastating challenge: PFAS, often called the “forever chemicals” due to their persistence in the environment. These compounds are found in thousands of industrial and household products and have contaminated aquifers and water supply networks around the world, including several municipalities in Catalonia. Their presence threatens public health with documented risks of cancer, hormonal disruption, infertility, and weakened immune systems. The European Chemicals Agency has identified more than 4,700 variants, and the European Union is preparing to severely restrict their use.
In today’s market, this problem already translates into rising costs for operators and municipalities: across Europe, the European Commission estimates that PFAS decontamination could exceed €100 billion annually over the next 20 years. In Catalonia, cases such as Riells and Mas Mora highlight the severity of the issue: analyses have shown concentrations above reference thresholds, and citizens’ trust in tap water has been undermined.
Against this backdrop, the project is conceived as a transformative opportunity: to position Catalonia at the forefront of eliminating emerging contaminants through advanced technologies. Its strategic objective is clear — to restore compliance with health standards, reduce public health risks, anticipate new regulatory frameworks, and demonstrate a replicable model of water innovation. The project is located in the Tordera basin, specifically in the municipalities of Riells y Mas Mora, integrating existing pumping stations and reservoirs.
Its rationale lies in the urgent need to reestablish the safety of distributed water and avoid regulatory sanctions, litigation, and the erosion of social trust. Multiple stakeholders are involved: the local water operator, technology providers (activated carbon, resins, membranes), accredited laboratories for analyses, external verification entities, and a financial structurer to enable scalability.
The proposal is embedded within a Water Stewardship strategy designed to deliver a Water Positive result, applying three guiding principles: additionality (going beyond what is legally required), intentionality (designed to specifically close the PFAS gap), and traceability (each cubic meter treated is measured and certified under VWBA and WQBA methodologies). In this way, every cubic meter processed translates into safe water for the community and a verifiable water benefit aligned with the 2030 Agenda and the Science-Based Targets for Water.
Analyses carried out in the Riells and Mas Mora systems have confirmed the presence of PFAS in concentrations exceeding WHO-recommended thresholds and emerging European standards. The current supply system lacks processes capable of removing them, exposing the population to long-term risks and undermining the reputation of water operators. This technical problem is compounded by structural causes: infrastructures not designed for emerging contaminants, regulatory frameworks in transition that raise quality requirements, and growing pressure on the Tordera basin from agricultural, urban, and tourism uses.
The human health implications are particularly concerning. Children are generally more vulnerable to PFAS due to their ongoing development and higher relative exposure. Women face specific risks related to reproduction and the transfer of PFAS to the fetus or infant, which can have severe consequences. Men are not exempt, but the effects tend to be less specific in terms of reproductive or developmental impact. While long-term exposure and bioaccumulation are problematic for all groups, children and women of reproductive age are especially sensitive.
The opportunity, however, is to transform this vulnerability into leadership. Catalonia can become the first European community benchmark for large-scale PFAS removal, not only addressing a technical problem but setting a new standard for Europe. The project engages a coalition of key actors: local water operators, specialized technology providers, accredited laboratories, independent verification entities, and strategic financial partners to ensure implementation and scalability.
What makes this initiative unique is its integrated vision. From the outset, it incorporates a pioneering public health component led by Dr. Damian Markov, pediatrician specialized in Climate Medicine and Environmental Health. His participation will allow monitoring of clinical indicators before and after implementation, generating scientific evidence of how PFAS removal translates into direct health benefits for children and communities. In parallel, the project will implement an education program in schools and universities, ensuring that awareness of PFAS and water safety spreads quickly across generations. This dual approach, clinical and educational, creates a multiplier effect, embedding scientific evidence into both public health and community knowledge.
This makes the project far more than a decontamination effort. It is the first initiative to measure water additionality also in terms of health outcomes. Each cubic meter treated not only ensures water free of contaminants but is validated as a tangible contribution to social resilience against climate change and chemical exposure. The additionality generated will also be energized through renewable energy sources, with the choice of technology to be defined by the developer based on what is most suitable for the Catalonia region.
The immediate benefits include protecting more than 20,000 inhabitants from health risks, restoring social trust, achieving early compliance with European regulations, and opening access to green finance and ESG certifications. The model is replicable across other municipalities facing PFAS challenges, as it is based on proven, scalable, and adaptable technologies.
Catalonia thus has the chance to establish itself as both a European reference and a global benchmark, showing how a Water Positive result can go beyond water quantity and quality to link directly with human health, education, and community well-being.
The reported ∑20 PFAS concentration of up to 0.19 µg/L surpasses the regulatory threshold of 0.1 µg/L, requiring a treatment strategy that is both effective and scalable. Given the aquifer-fed nature of the supply, with its low turbidity and minimal natural organic matter, adsorption-based technologies present the most favorable approach.
A two-stage treatment train is recommended to achieve compliance and ensure long-term system reliability:
To sustain performance, the system must be supported by a comprehensive monitoring and optimization program, including:
This combined IX–GAC approach balances selectivity, robustness, and cost-effectiveness, creating a scalable solution adaptable to future regulatory tightening and transferable to other aquifer-fed systems facing similar PFAS contamination challenges.
The issue identified in the Riells y Mas Mora systems shows PFAS concentrations above regulatory limits, endangering public health and demonstrating that existing infrastructure was not designed to address emerging contaminants. In response, a grey infrastructure intervention is proposed (treatment plants, pipelines, engineered systems) with a robust focus on water quality and verifiable water benefits. The two-stage train (SBAIX resins in parallel + GAC polishing) was selected after comparative analysis with alternatives (nanofiltration, advanced oxidation), which proved less efficient and more expensive under the specific conditions of the Tordera basin.
The system is designed to secure safe water for more than 20,000 inhabitants, integrating digital control tools such as IoT sensors, SCADA platforms, and traceability protocols under VWBA/WQBA. The expected benefits include the availability of significant volumes of PFAS-free water and tangible improvements in resource quality, with direct impacts on public health and reduced risks of severe diseases.
Environmentally, the technology prevents discharge into ecosystems and reduces the carbon footprint through renewable energy integration. Socially, it restores trust in tap water, creates local jobs, and supports education programs. Economically, it enhances operational resilience, lowers risks of fines or litigation, enables access to green financing, and strengthens ESG positioning.
Risks such as technological failures, hydrological variability, or social resistance are mitigated through redundancies, contingency plans, shared governance, and strict quality controls. Predictive maintenance, energy diversification, and continuous monitoring further ensure resilience to climate change.
Finally, the modular and scalable nature of the solution makes it a benchmark for other basins and sectors. The project will be monitored through Aqua Positive’s Water Footprint Platform, ensuring transparent measurement and reporting of volumetric water benefits (VWBs) and quality-based water benefits (WQBAs). Data will be shared in collaboration with multiple technology partners, enhancing credibility and innovation transfer. Thanks to the investment structured with corporate partners, this plant upgrade will not require tariff increases for end users — making it not only technically sound but also socially inclusive and economically attractive.
Summary Table: Contribution to the 17 SDGs
| # | SDG | % Contribution | Argumentative Synthesis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No Poverty | 15% | Improves equitable access to basic services such as safe water, reducing socioeconomic vulnerability and health risks in affected areas. |
| 2 | Zero Hunger | 5% | Protects water resources used for irrigation and aquaculture, contributing to local food security. Indirect impact. |
| 3 | Good Health and Well-being | 90% | Mitigates chronic risks from emerging contaminants (cancer, immunodeficiency, infertility), directly protecting children, women, and vulnerable groups. |
| 4 | Quality Education | 20% | Integrates an educational program on contamination and water health, strengthening community awareness and school/university capacities. |
| 5 | Gender Equality | 10% | Addresses specific vulnerabilities of women to PFAS (reproduction, breastfeeding), with impact on public health and autonomy. |
| 6 | Clean Water and Sanitation | 100% | Direct action to improve water quality, PFAS elimination, VWBA/WQBA methodologies, governance, and traceability. Core axis of the project. |
| 7 | Affordable and Clean Energy | 15% | Integrates renewable energy into treatment processes, reducing associated carbon footprint. |
| 8 | Decent Work and Economic Growth | 30% | Generates local green jobs, strengthens operational capacities of the water operator, and attracts green investment. |
| 9 | Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure | 35% | Applies advanced technologies (IX, GAC, IoT, SCADA), promotes resilient infrastructure, and replicable innovation. |
| 10 | Reduced Inequalities | 15% | Improves equal access to safe water in vulnerable communities affected by contamination. |
| 11 | Sustainable Cities and Communities | 40% | Strengthens urban resilience against contaminants, restores citizen trust in drinking water and services. |
| 12 | Responsible Consumption and Production | 25% | Removes persistent toxic compounds from the urban water cycle; fosters responsible production practices. |
| 13 | Climate Action | 20% | Reduces emissions through renewable energy, adapts infrastructures to water risk and climate change. |
| 14 | Life Below Water | 10% | Reduces diffuse pollution to marine aquatic ecosystems via runoff or discharges. |
| 15 | Life on Land | 10% | Prevents contamination of soils and inland waters, protecting terrestrial biodiversity. |
| 16 | Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions | 10% | Strengthens water governance and community participation, avoiding litigation and conflicts over contaminated water. |
| 17 | Partnerships for the Goals | 35% | Builds multisectoral collaboration (operators, technologists, financiers, verifiers, educators, health sector). |
Weighted Adjustment by the 169 Targets
The total contribution weighted by SDG targets results in:
SDG Impact Classification according to UNDP Standards
The implementation of the project is planned under a phased and adaptive scheme, structured to ensure technical rigor, traceability, and resilience at each stage.
Phase 1 – Diagnosis and baseline (Months 0-6): During this period, initial characterization of water quality and confirmation of PFAS concentrations in the supply system are carried out. The hydrological and health baseline is established, with community health indicators and reference parameters for flows, emissions, and chemical quality. At the same time, the final design of the treatment train is developed, technological alternatives are compared, and the choice of ion exchange combined with granular activated carbon is validated as the most robust option for the Tordera aquifer context. The phase is completed with social consultation processes and institutional agreements to ensure acceptance and shared governance.
Phase 2 – Installation and commissioning (Months 6-24): This includes the construction and integration of the technological infrastructure, with the installation of IX resins in parallel and GAC units as a polishing stage. Digital control instruments such as flow meters, multiparameter probes, IoT sensors, and a SCADA system are incorporated to ensure continuous monitoring. The nominal capacity is sized to meet the demand of more than 20,000 inhabitants, with stable performance and redundancies that guarantee service continuity. During this phase, operational personnel are trained and an educational program is implemented in the community, strengthening the project’s social legitimacy.
Phase 3 – Validation and continuous operation (Months 24-36): Monthly monitoring of influents and effluents is carried out through accredited laboratories and online systems, comparing results with the baseline and applying the logic of with-project versus without-project scenarios. Water benefits are certified under VWBA/WQBA, and verifiable reports are generated for green financing and ESG corporate claims. In addition, clinical evaluations are included in the beneficiary population to correlate improvements in water quality with public health indicators.
Control, traceability, and governance: The entire process is supported by digital platforms that ensure physical and digital water traceability, with alarms and automatic reports in case of deviations. Periodic external audits and independent verifications are established to consolidate transparency. Governance is organized with the active participation of the technical operator, beneficiaries, regulatory authorities, and external verifiers, with clearly defined responsibilities for operation, maintenance, and monitoring. In addition, a preventive and corrective maintenance plan is integrated along with contingency protocols, reinforcing the system’s resilience.
Monitoring and continuous improvement: The model includes a comprehensive system for monitoring and reporting volumetric and quality benefits, permanently comparing performance against the baseline and adjusting processes based on the information generated. Technological updating and constant feedback ensure that benefits are sustained over time and allow the solution to be replicated in other basins with similar conditions, consolidating the region as a benchmark in the elimination of emerging contaminants and the implementation of highly traceable Water Positive solutions.
The PFAS elimination project in water supply systems in Catalonia is conceived as an intervention of grey and digital infrastructure aimed at ensuring safe water in the municipalities of Riells y Mas Mora. Technically, it consists of the implementation of a two-stage treatment train: first through strong-base ion exchange resins, which effectively remove short- and long-chain PFAS, and then through granular activated carbon as a polishing stage to capture residues and other co-occurring contaminants. The process integrates redundant equipment, SCADA systems, IoT sensors, and online monitoring, with operational capacity sufficient to supply more than 20,000 inhabitants. The entire system complies with WHO standards, European water quality regulations, and the most stringent national and international regulatory frameworks.
The relevance of this solution lies in its response to an urgent technical and social problem: the presence of invisible emerging contaminants that threaten public health and confidence in drinking water. Unlike the baseline situation, where existing systems were not prepared to treat PFAS, the proposed intervention ensures verifiable elimination, reducing risks of cancer, hormonal disruptions, or infertility, and guaranteeing reliable supply. It is the right solution for this context due to its technical efficiency, economic feasibility, regulatory compliance, and social acceptance, in addition to being aligned with the climate resilience principles of the basin.
The expected results include virtually complete removal of PFAS, improvement of critical quality parameters, protection of population health, and restoration of social confidence in tap water. Environmental benefits are anticipated by preventing contaminant discharges into ecosystems and reducing emissions through the integration of renewable energy. Socially, the project provides direct improvements in public health, creates jobs in operation and maintenance, and develops community education programs. Economically, it strengthens operational resilience and competitiveness, reduces costs associated with litigation or sanctions, and enables access to green financing and ESG certifications.
In strategic and commercial terms, the project integrates into the Water Positive roadmap as an example of intentionality, additionality, and traceability, offering tangible ESG benefits that consolidate the social license to operate, competitively different.
