Waterworks underway

RENOVATION works to drinking water pipes commenced in the Pioco and Terrasala areas of Calpe on Monday.

The upgrade consists of the installation of 1,243 metres of new pipelines and the installation of three connector nodes to join the pipes to the current network. The improvements are being carried out in order to improve the efficiency of the drinking water distribution network and minimise the risk of breakdowns.

A pressure regulation valve will be installed in the Terrasala section, and nine household connections will be refurbished. The estimated duration of the work is four months, and the investment will amount to €102,839.85.

Through these works, the continuity of the supply will be guaranteed, as sections that are inside private plots will be removed. Previously it had been difficult to detect possible leaks if homes were unoccupied, so these will now be moved to public roads. The conditions of the drinking water supply in homes will be optimised in terms of pressure and flow rate, guaranteeing the supply to homes located on higher ground, whilst regulating the pressure in homes located at lower levels.

The continuous renewal of pipelines in Calpe is being carried out by Aguas de Calpe, a public company. Together with other measures implemented such as a remote-control system, the sectorisation of the network and the installation of smart home metres, the company has contributed to the improvement of hydraulic performance in Calpe, currently at 85%, which is a benchmark in Alicante province. Only 15% is lost due to circumstances such as breakdowns and fraudulent use of the supply.

In April 2019, Aguas de Calpe obtained the AENOR certification in the UNE 178.101-1 water efficiency standard, becoming the first water cycle management company certified in Europe.