Wednesday, 29 January, 2025
Fundación Botín, c/ Castelló, 18C, 28001 Madrid, Spain
A One-Day Workshop Sponsored by:
The Botin Foundation and Rosenberg International Forum on Water Policy, a program of the
University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
Wastewater treatment plants are relied upon remove contaminants from urban wastewater before it is discharged to the water bodies, thus reducing anthropogenic pressure on water bodies. The removal of nutrients and micro-pollutants, however, is still limited and those substances are being found in many water bodies throughout the world affecting freshwater ecosystems and threatening the quality of the water sources used for drinking water supply. Moreover, the reuse of treated wastewater offers a supply alternative for various beneficial uses, reducing pressures on other water resources. Although urban wastewater treatment and the subsequent reuse of the treated effluents have been studied for several decades, implementing suitable and environmentally acceptable strategies in this field still represents a significant challenge.
The EU has recently passed an update of its Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, which raises standards for removal of contaminants and control of pollution due to rainwater, while seeking to boost circular economy goals and energy neutrality of wastewater treatment plants. The technology is mature, though the cost of the treatment and the upgrading of the plants introduces a huge governance challenge and the need to explore new ways of financing such as the Extended Producer Responsibility.
In this workshop, we explore the institutional and socioeconomic challenges posed by the implementation of this Directive in Spain, with a dialogue informed by international experiences on the management of urban wastewater.
The workshop will:
- Explore and compare policy approaches of the EU, the US and Chile in the treatment of urban wastewater.
- Seek opportunities for cross-learning and inspiration for innovative practices.
Biographies of speakers and moderators
Agenda
09:30 Opening Ceremony
Moderated Lucia De Stefano, Associate Professor, Universidad Computense de Madrid and Deputy Director, Water Observatory of the Botín Foundation, Spain
Alberto Garrido, Professor, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and Director, Water Observatory of the Botín Foundation, Spain
Glenda Humiston, Vice President, Agriculture and Nat. Resources, Univ. California, USA
Soroosh Sorooshian, Rosenberg Forum Chair; Dist. Prof., Civil & Env.Eng. and Earth System Sc. Depts.; Director, Ctr. for Hydrometerology & Remote Sensing, Univ. of California, USA
09:40 Keynote Presentation
Moderated by Ariel Dinar, Distinguished Professor, Emeritus, School of Public Policy, University of California, Riverside, USA
Overview of Wastewater Treatment Challenges and Solutions - Manzoor Qadir, Deputy Director, United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), Canada
Session I: Policy Approaches to Wastewater Management and Treatment in Spain and the United States
Moderated by Erik Porse, Director, California Institute for Water Resources, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California, USA
10:20 Policy Approaches to Wastewater Management in the US - Erik Porse, Director, California Institute for Water Resources, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California, USA
10:50 Understanding the Gap in Wastewater Access Through California Experiences - Erik Porse, Director, California Institute for Water Resources, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California, USA
11:05 EU Approach to Urban Wastewater Treatment: Lessons Learned and Challenges from the Negotiation of the 2024 Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive - Carlos Aragón Cruz, Senior Technician, Sub-directorate for Hydrological Planning, Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Spain
11:35 Break
Session II: Insights from Cases Studies
Moderated by Christina Babbitt, Global Water Lead, Starbucks, USA
12:05 Introduction - Christina Babbitt, Global Water Lead, Starbucks, USA
12:10 Policy Approach in Chile and How Corporations are Implementing it and Inspiring Approaches - Guillermo Donoso Harris, Professor, Dept. of Agricultural Economics, and Director, Water Law and Management Center, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile
12:40 The Role of Water Regulators in the Implementation of Water Legislation in EU Member States - Christian Minelli, Head of Secretariat, European Water Regulators (WAREG) and Civil Servant, The Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and Environment, Italy
13:10 Forever Chemicals and Wastewater Challenges in the US: A Look at Tucson, Arizona - Andrea Gerlak, Professor, School of Geography, Development and Environment and a Research Professor and Director, Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, University of Arizona, USA
13:40 Q&A and Discussion - Moderated by:
Julia Bucknall, Director, Environmental and Natural Resources, The World Bank, USA
Lucia De Stefano, Associate Professor, Complutense University of Madrid and Deputy Director, Water Observatory of the Botín Foundation, Spain
14:20 Closing Remarks
Alberto Garrido, Director, Water Observatory of the Botín Foundation and Professor, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain
Erik Porse, Director, California Institute for Water Resources, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California, USA
14:30 Adjourn