Salher develops a customized DWTP to provide safe, high-quality drinking water for the town of Buenasbodas

While the Town Hall was searching for a definitive solution to the supply problem, thousands of liters of bottled water were distributed. This summer, Buenasbodas’ residents will reduce plastic consumption thanks to the new drinking water treatment plant that Salher has developed for the town.

 

The high presence of iron and manganese prevents the safe consumption of water supplied from the Río Frío dam. Occasionally, this condition causes a metallic taste in drinking water and skin dryness, alters its color, and clogs pipes with scale.

 

However, prolonged consumption of water with high iron levels can have more severe health consequences, such as hemochromatosis (iron accumulation in vital organs), gastrointestinal disorders, and even bacterial interactions.

To effectively address the iron problem in drinking water, Salher has developed a DWTP that begins with a flocculation pipe (FLC), designed to treat a flow rate of 240 m³/day. This component stands out for its long hydraulic retention time, which optimizes conditions for sedimentation and significantly improves treatment efficiency.

The system includes inline injection points for the precise dosing of coagulant and caustic soda, as well as a shock pre-chlorination stage that oxidizes the iron present in the water, transforming it into insoluble particles that are removed in the subsequent sedimentation and filtration stages.

The plant features a DE-LA lamella settler for the continuous removal of suspended solids, increasing its effective surface area and performance in a compact footprint. The combination of flocculation and lamella settling reduces turbidity through oxidation, floc formation, and sedimentation.

Filtration is performed using automatic safety filters of 130 microns to retain particles, high-performance GRP filters with a silica and manganese dioxide media to remove oxidizable contaminants such as iron and manganese, and GRP activated carbon filters with an automatic cleaning system to eliminate color, odor, taste, free chlorine, and adsorb organic compounds.

This comprehensive solution not only guarantees a safe and sustainable drinking water supply for Buenasbodas but also represents a significant advancement in water management in Spain. Even though water reserves have improved due to the winter rains of 2024/2025, continued investment in drinking water and water reuse infrastructures is crucial to ensure the availability of our most precious resource.

With this installation, Salher demonstrates its commitment to innovation and adapting to the specific needs of each community, offering effective, fast, and sustainable solutions to the challenges of drinking water supply.