ACCIONA Agua distinguished in GWI’s “Deal of the Year” and “Best Desalination Plant” Awards

The distinctions recognize the PPP financing model used for the WWTP at Atotonilco (Mexico), and the technological and environmental advances implemented in the Beckton (UK) desalination plant.

ACCIONA Agua has been distinguished in the GWI 2011 Awards in recognition of the company's projects and cutting-edge practices in water services management. Mexico City's Atotonilco Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) and  UK's Beckton (London) desalination plant "Desalination Plant of the Year" respectively

Global Water Intelligence is the international water industry's leading journal and the winners of its annual awards are voted by more than 14,000 industry professionals and experts.

The Atotonilco WWTP received the GWI distinction in the "Deal of the Year" category as recognition to its contribution to the progress of public-private financing (PPP) in the water industry worldwide. This distinction recognizes the capacity of the consortium of private water companies in which ACCIONA participates and the Mexican administration to close the financing structure for US$900 million, making it possible to turn the world's biggest WWTP into a reality and, moreover, in record time - just seven months after the deal was officially signed.

The project, which includes construction and O&M (25 years), was awarded by the Mexican Federal Government through the National Water Commission of Mexico (CONAGUA) to a consortium participated by ACCIONA Agua, Promotora del Desarrollo de América Latina, Controladora de Operaciones de Infraestructura; Atlatec; Desarrollo y Construcciones Urbanas and Green Gas Pioneer Crossing Energy. The Atotonilco WWTP will treat 60% of Mexico City's wastewater which, once treated, will also be used for irrigating 80,000 hectares of land in the neighboring state of Hidalgo.

The Beckton Desalination Plant received the GWI "Desalination Plan of the Year" distinction, as the plant that best represents the technical and environmental progress made in the desalination industry. The Beckton facility, with a capacity to supply close to one million people, is a pioneer in the application of technologies (developed by ACCIONA) that minimize energy consumption and the impact on wildlife. The project has been developed by ACCIONA Agua and Interserve Project Services for Thames Water.

The Beckton plant (video) is fueled by renewable energies generated on-site using biofuels, a sustainable solution that is unique in the water industry for its large-scale application. The project has also redrawn the limits of the reuse of the energy consumed in the desalination process by applying systems allowing the recovery of 85% of the energy used. Moreover, the desalination process envisages the capture of water at low-tide, at a moment when the salt content of the river water is at its lowest, requiring less energy for processing. Environmental protection measures include noise and air barriers during the water-capture process to ensure that marine wildlife unharmed.