- The technology center expands its infrastructure at its headquarters in Terrassa dedicated to the study of water, positioning it as a leader in the optimization of water resources
- These new facilities, a total of 626 m² of laboratories, will increase the center’s capacities, which in 2024 developed around thirty research and innovation projects for the study of water and the sustainable management of water resources
- The non-profit entity thus reinforces its role as a driver of innovation and development in Catalonia with new, state-of-the-art laboratories designed to foster excellence in research, attract international talent, and promote collaboration between the academic, business, and technology sectors
At a time when recent rains have mitigated the severe water crisis that Catalonia and Spain have suffered in recent years, Leitat has completed a strategic investment of €1.3 million at its Terrassa headquarters to expand its infrastructure dedicated to the study of water and the sustainable management of water resources. With this initiative, the technology center reinforces its leadership in applied innovation and knowledge transfer in this field.
Leitat has allocated this investment to the equipping of 626 m² of high-tech laboratories, designed to foster excellence in research, attract international talent, and promote collaboration between the academic, business, and technology sectors to address key challenges related to sustainability and water management. “This investment demonstrates Leitat’s firm commitment to research and innovation in water management, a key challenge for current and future sustainability,” says Jordi Cabrafiga, General Director of Leitat.
“With these new infrastructures and equipment, we consolidate our role as a driver of innovation and development in Catalonia, positioning Terrassa as a strategic hub to attract talent and promote public-private collaboration,” adds Cabrafiga, highlighting Leitat’s leadership in innovation and development with this ambitious initiative.
Cutting-edge infrastructure to address strategic challenges
The investment has been divided into two main areas: on the one hand, the acquisition of scientific-technological equipment with equipment that will enable cutting-edge research in chemical analysis, advanced materials, and state-of-the-art electrochemical systems; and on the other hand, new infrastructures with the creation of specialized laboratories that include spaces dedicated to sustainable processes, advanced sensors, and electrochemical systems.
The new facilities include equipment and pilot plants for separation and purification technologies, advanced oxidation processes, bio-electrochemical, biological, nature-based solutions, and emerging contaminant detection systems, such as microplastics and heavy metals. These infrastructures will make it possible to address key challenges in the study of water and the sustainable use of water resources, with direct applications in strategic sectors such as industry, agriculture, and waste management.
With these new spaces, in addition to enabling the creation of new high-value jobs, Leitat consolidates its position as a reference in the research and obtaining of value-added products from water, applying efficiency and sustainability criteria, and from a centralized and decentralized approach.
The investment in this equipment responds to the growing impact of the water treatment and reuse research area at Leitat. Last year alone, the center managed 10 European projects, 5 national projects, and 19 private projects related to this field. Currently, some of the projects Leitat is working on and which are benefited by the new equipment are NINFA, UNIVERSWATER, and UPSTREAM.
The first is a European initiative that allows the early detection of pollution affecting groundwater, facilitating decision-making on its management to establish predictive models for treatment and reuse, which will help prevent pollution and overexploitation of aquifers.
The UNIVERSWATER consortium adopts a “system of systems” approach by developing and improving technologies designed to optimize the uses of water resources in a fully integrated way in order to address the complex challenges of agricultural water management and achieve innovative solutions in agriculture for water availability and quality.
Finally, UPSTREAM is the project to combat pollution in Europe’s rivers through the monitoring, prevention, removal, and recovery of solid waste, plastics, and microplastics. The initiative is completed with partners dedicated to the creation of a digital platform to share knowledge and foster collaboration with citizens and stakeholders.
Leitat’s commitment to innovation and sustainability
This investment consolidates Leitat as a strategic center in the research and development of technologies for the sustainable management of water, generating a significant impact on the research ecosystem. The main expected benefits are the strengthening of applied research, the attraction of international talent, the transfer of knowledge, and public-private collaboration, which will strengthen the industrial fabric of Catalonia. “The expected impact will allow us to improve the competitiveness of the country’s companies and meet the sustainable growth objective we have set for the coming years,” says Jordi Cabrafiga.
