Reusing water from urban wastewater treatment plants in our industrial complexes

Water reuse: A part of our strategy

Water is an increasingly scarce resource and at the same time essential for the operation of our production processes, and at Repsol we use it efficiently and sustainably. Therefore, working to reduce water withdrawal and reuse this resource as much as possible is part of our strategy, thus showing our commitment to the circular economy and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Tarragona Industrial Complex Project

An example of this commitment is the participation of our Tarragona Industrial Complex in a circular economy project aimed at reusing water from urban wastewater plants in the towns of Tarragona and Vilaseca. Even though this water is not suitable for human consumption, it's rather suitable for industrial processes, particularly in the complex's cooling towers and steam generation boilers.

This project, which has been in operation since 2012, first consists in collecting urban waste water at the discharge point before it reaches the sea. Then, after undergoing a treatment process followed by demineralization by reverse osmosis membranes, it is distributed to companies that consume it. This reduces water withdrawal from the Ebro and Gaià rivers, resulting in more water available to the communities in the area.

Since we launched this project in which we're the main partners, we have used 40% of the total water treated, which represents a priority source of our supply. It has also reduced by around 10% the overall freshwater consumption, which can be used for other purposes.

Contributing to the United Nations 2030 Agenda

SDG 6

Clean water and sanitation

SDG 12

Responsible consumption and production

Circular benefits

Reduce consumption of freshwater from rivers, which results in greater availability for the population
Preserve a natural water resource in a potential water-scarce area.
Optimize scarce resource utilization through various organizations by promoting industrial symbiosis and circular economy.
Guarantee the quality and quantity of the water supply and reduce pressure on a scarce resource that competes with other priority uses.
Facilitates environmental flow release in the Gaià river from the safety reserve of the Gaià Reservoir.

Classification by key lines and value chain

Our circular economy projects are aligned with the key lines of our strategy and are present throughout our entire value chain, from obtaining raw materials to commercializing products and services.

Learn about our strategy

Find out more about our circular economy projects

Renewable energy generation

We adapt the principles of the company's circular economy model to renewable energy generation.

Several people from the project posing in a field with cows in the background

Biomethane and organic fertilizers from slurry

We transform livestock manure and other waste into biomethane, organic fertilizers, and neutral CO₂ of biological origin.

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Different types of vehicles on a highway

Synthetic fuels

We produce synthetic fuels using renewable hydrogen and CO₂ as a solution for decarbonizing transportation.

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Sustainable extenders for the rubber industry

We continue driving sustainability with our products specially designed for the rubber industry.

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Eco-aggregates: A new product for capturing CO₂

We've joined forces with O.C.O. Technology Limited to produce more sustainable products by capturing and using CO₂ emitted in our industrial processes.

Learn more about eco-aggregates