Students of the Master of Techniques and Sciences of the Water Quality of the University of Granada visited last May the pilot plant developed by Acciona Agua through the Life Celsius program in the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) of Archena (Murcia).
This visit was framed in the activities organized on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the European Union’s Life programme, created in 1992 to contribute a financial tool to the preservation of the continent’s natural heritage.
25 Years of Life program
To commemorate this anniversary, the project beneficiaries of the Life programme were invited to organise open days throughout the month of May and until mid-June, and make known to the public opinion and the media work in favour of the Natura 2000 Network and the European legislation on this matter.
In this context, those responsible for the project Life Celsius They put in value a wastewater purification technology capable of achieving the same yields as traditional systems with considerable energy savings, sludge accumulation and CO2 emissions.

The master’s students have verified how this system, based on the elimination of nutrients through an anaerobic treatment, where bacteria that act do not require oxygen consumption, provides a significant saving in a very costly process.
In addition, the Celsius project uses membranes in the treatment that act as a barrier and retain the anerobic microorganisms – which usually decant very badly and are difficult to remain in the reactor – so that they reproduce and reach high concentrations, necessary to purify the water.
Water Quality Training
The students of the Master of Techniques and Sciences of Water Quality of the University of Granada receive training on the efficient implementation of environmental regulations derived from the Water Framework Directive.
The academic knowledge enables students to detect and evaluate the problems related to the quality of the water bodies -defined by this directive- such as rivers, lakes, reservoirs, transitional and coastal waters and groundwaters.
Traducción: Carmen Gilson