A new model for the industrial use of reclaimed water in the ceramic sector
The objective of this research project, in which Euroarce (Grupo SAMCA) participates, is to reduce freshwater abstraction from the aquifers in Castellón, thereby alleviating water stress, through the reuse of urban wastewater treated using membrane technologies. An industrial-scale demonstration plant enables the production of reclaimed water from treated urban wastewater at the Cabanes Wastewater Treatment Plant (Castellón).
The reclaimed water will meet the quality standards required to supply the water requirements of a spray-dried powder production plant for the ceramic industry (Euroarce Cabanes). The NWTP demonstration plant will consist of a water reclamation unit, a distribution network, and a performance monitoring system covering the reclamation process, spray-dried powder production, and the impact on the aquifer.
The pilot project, running from 2023 to 2026, consists of three components:
- The contruction of a reclamation plant for urban wastewater from Cabanes.
- The installation of a pipeline connection to Euroarce’s spray-dried powder production plant in Cabanes, enabling validation of the reclaimed water in a real manufacturing process.
- The implementation of a monitoring and control network to track the evolution of the local aquifer, as well as the performance of the water reclamation plant and the spray-dried powder production process.
The project is coordinated by Facsa, a company in the water sector, and is supported by the Ceramic Technology Institute (ITC–AICE).
