Water Quality in Barcelona

Water is essential for life. Apart from drinking it to survive, we use it to bathe, cook, do the dishes, wash our clothes, grow food and more. But how healthy and safe is the water flowing from our taps in Barcelona?

Many people living in the city choose bottled water over tap water because they think it tastes better and is, therefore, better for them. That said, experts across the board assert that it’s safe to drink. According to the Ministerio de Sanidad (the governmental agency that monitors tap water across the whole country) and Aigües de Barcelona (the private water management group that controls the city’s water), it meets all international standards, including those specified by the European Union and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The majority of Barcelona’s tap water comes from the Llobregat river, which originates in the Serra del Cadí and flows into the sea just south of the city. The river water contains high levels of minerals, including potassium, magnesium and various carbonates, because it crosses an extremely salty region around the municipality of Súria, 75 kilometers north-west of Barcelona. Some water is also sourced from the Ter and Besòs rivers. Aigües de Barcelona is responsible for treating the water and supplying it to the city, as well as 23 other municipalities. It has one of the most complex and advanced water treatment plants in Europe; the ETAP (estación de tratamiento de agua potable) in Sant Joan Despí was built in 1955, when the demand for water in Barcelona started to rise. The plant can treat water at a speed of 5.3 cubic meters per second, producing 450 thousand cubic meters of water a day.

Once water is extracted from the rivers, it is transported to silting chambers at the ETAP, where stones and sand are separated out. At the initial disinfection stage, chlorine dioxide is added to the water to oxidize the iron and magnesium it contains. Next, during decantation, particles of mud are deposited at the bottom of the tanks, leaving only clarified water at the top. The water then passes through a filter with sand particles, and undergoes two different processes. The first is a process using ozone and activated carbon filters: ozone triggers the precipitation of certain organic compounds and microorganisms, making it easier to remove them from the water through activated carbon filters. The second stage involves ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis and re-mineralization processes. Finally, a chlorination process is carried out to ensure that safe water arrives at every home, without getting infected in the distribution process.

Taking into account the thorough treatment of public water, we should all be grateful that we can get fresh, clean water simply by turning on a tap. But after all that work, why does it still taste bad?

TAPP Water chairman Magnus Jern spent three years researching Barcelona’s water in order to design and produce an effective, affordable and sustainable tap and shower filter. He explained that the water in Barcelona is extremely ‘hard’, containing a high concentration of calcium and magnesium ions. “The amount of calcium and other mineral content in water is based on the kind of stone where the water originates,” Jern said. “Generally, the stone that runs along the coast has the mineral content that results in hard water, which is why cities skirting the Mediterranean have to use more chlorine to disinfect their public water, which in turn means that it doesn’t taste good.” 

We should all be grateful that we can get fresh, clean water simply by turning on a tap. But...why does it still taste bad? 

Since taste is the main reason why so many people here are fixated on drinking bottled water, it’s worth exploring different water filtration systems on the market. The simplest way to get rid of the chlorine in Barcelona’s tap water is to leave a jug of unfiltered water in the fridge overnight. Typically, between 80 and 90 percent of the chlorine will evaporate in 12 to 24 hours. A common option in Spain is the Brita water filter jug. These jugs use a filtering mechanism that consists of activated carbon and ion-exchange resin. The former removes substances that affect taste, such as chlorine, while the latter reduces carbonate hardness, copper and lead. The filters need to be changed approximately every two months.

“The next most popular filtration method in Spain is reverse osmosis,” Jern said. Reverse osmosis uses a filter, which normally consists of four units, that you put under the sink. Depending on the supplier, the installation can cost up to €400, plus a monthly fee to replace the filters.

Jern's own system, TAPP 1, attaches to the tap itself and is more accessible, priced at €75 for the filter and a year’s worth of replacement cartridges. It removes at least 70 chemicals and reduces the effects of more than 50 others, such as chlorine, heavy metals and pesticides, while allowing healthy minerals to remain.

Although you can use water filters to make your drinking water taste better, Aigües de Barcelona says that they’re not necessary. When it comes to showering, however, it seems there are some potential issues. A hot, steamy shower opens the pores of the skin and allows for accelerated absorption of chlorine and other chemicals found in our water. In addition, the steam we inhale while showering contains much higher levels of chlorine than tap water because chlorine—and most other contaminants—vaporizes at a lower temperature than water. Inhalation, therefore, is a more harmful means of exposure; the chlorine gas we inhale enters the bloodstream directly and can irritate the sensitive tissue and bronchial passages inside our lungs, and is a suspected cause of asthma and bronchitis, especially in children. When we drink contaminated water, on the other hand, the toxins are partially filtered out by our kidneys and digestive system.

Showering with chlorinated water can also have a negative effect on skin and hair, robbing them of their moisture and elasticity. It is especially detrimental for people suffering from pre-existing skin conditions, such as eczema, psoriasis or rosacea. According to the US Energy Protection Agency (EPA), “Chlorine by-products [trihalomethanes, or THMs, formed when chlorine combines with other natural compounds in our water] trigger the production of free radicals in the body, causing cell damage”.

To counter the negative effects of bathing in chlorinated water, it is possible to install filtering systems at the point of use (i.e. specific taps and showers) or at point of entry for the whole house. Point of use filters are often installed for washing machines, baths and showers and can be bought at hardware shops for around €50. These filters contain activated carbon and a formulation called Kinetic Degradation Fluxion (KDF), which uses a chemical process known as redox (oxidation/reduction) that removes chlorine, lead, mercury, iron and hydrogen sulfide from the water. Point of entry systems act as a central filtration system for the entire home, a solution that covers all potential issues. It may also prolong the life of domestic appliances by reducing the build-up of limescale—a common problem in hard water areas. These systems, not surprisingly, are significantly more expensive.

So, where does all this leave the average Barcelona resident, who likes to drink tasty water but doesn’t want to add to the world’s ever-increasing plastic problem? Well, your water is safe to drink and if you pop it in the fridge overnight, all the better. If you want to lessen the impurities in your glass of H2O then you may want to invest in one of the filter options. And, for safer bathing, either keep your morning showers cool and brisk or invest in a point of use filter. With more and more global initiatives working to decrease humankind’s plastic footprint, the tide is definitely turning to tap, and the solutions are plentiful. With just a small investment you can go plastic-free and let it flow. 

Regaining Control

The push to regain public control over water in Barcelona 

There is a growing citizens’ movement to re-muncipalize Barcelona’s water supply. It is currently controlled and supplied by Aigües de Barcelona (also known as Agbar, a subsidiary of the French-based utility multinational Suez Environment), but many residents would like the local government to regain control from the private sector.

According to the water rights platform Aigua és Vida, there are a number of justified grievances. The primary issue is that Barcelona’s water rates are among the highest in Spain, alongside Murcia, Cádiz and Huelva—the platform estimates that rates are a staggering 91.7 percent higher than in neighboring municipalities.

And, it seems that Aigües de Barcelona may have its work cut out to defend its position. Founded in 1867, it was revealed in 2010 that the company had no formal contract with the metropolitan area, leading to, in one judge’s words, “illegitimate actions” and “illegal rates.” This situation was modified slightly in 2012 when a mixed public/private company was formed, with 15 percent being under public control. The 85 percent private portion was awarded to Agbar, but was not put to public tender. It was also claimed that Agbar significantly overvalued its investments. The questions this raised culminated in a ruling by the Catalan High Court of Justice, which declared the 2012 concession void, re-opening the possibility for the public administration to take back control.

Over 30 groups, including Aigua és Vida and the Barcelona Neighborhood Association, are running a grassroots movement to get residents involved. Earlier this year they collected over 25,000 signatures asking the city council for a ‘consultation’ on the issue, and it will be part of a non-binding city-wide vote in the near future. Watch this space. 

3 Reasons to Drink Tap Water

Most countries and cities in Europe and North America have tap water that’s safe to drink, whether filtered or unfiltered 

1. Tap water is as healthy as bottled water

Aigües de Barcelona is currently responsible for delivering clean drinking water all the way from the rivers to your glass and performs daily quality tests based on the EU Drinking Water Directive (98/83/EC). If you still aren’t convinced, you can check the quality of water on your street online.

2. Save money

While prices for most bottled water in Barcelona are cheap, tap water (even filtered water) is cheaper still. The cost of tap water is typically less than 1/300 of bottled water, while the cost of filtered water—taking into account the cost of the filter and replacements throughout the year—is less than 1/20 of bottled water, depending on the volume of consumption.

3. Better for the planet

When you buy a liter of your favorite bottled water, imagine pouring six other liters down the sink before you even take a sip. Then picture a quarter of that crystal clear bottle, with an idyllic mountain scene invariably plastered across its label, filled with crude oil. That, according to the Marine Conservation Society—part of a global collaboration of environmental campaigners determined to end our love affair with bottled water—is what it takes to produce the bottle in your hand. Spain sends more plastic to landfill sites than most other European countries: the amount grew by four percent between 2012 and 2016, while across Europe it fell by 20 percent during the same period. In landfills, plastics break down into microplastics, which seep into the groundwater, rivers and eventually into seas and oceans.