GUARDIAN partners present project progress at Efiaqua

Planning work for this initiative intended to raise the fire resilience of an area of Turia Natural Park is already under way

Project GUARDIAN has a stand at the International Trade Show for Efficient Water Management that is being held at Feria Valencia from 1st to 3rd October. This morning, its partners visited this stand. The initiative, which benefits from a European Union grant, is led by Riba-roja de Túria Town Hall, Paterna Town Hall, Hidraqua, Medi XXI, Valencia University, The Polytechnic University of Valencia and Cetaqua. Turia Natural Park (Generalitat Valenciana, the Regional Government of Valencia) is also collaborating in this project.

During the visit, an assessment was made of the progress that has been made over the last few months of this project that is intended to improve fire resilience in Turia Natural Park through the use of regenerated water.

It was also an opportunity to present the new corporate identity and to update the planning work that is already under way.

Actions that will be developed include: the commissioning of an advanced regeneration treatment plant with elimination of emerging microcontaminants, so that this regenerated water can be used, through the installation of cannons, in irrigation and spraying work in the event of a fire risk or declared fire, avoiding the use of drinking water. Furthermore, the design and construction of a regenerated water distribution network (water tanks, piping, pumping stations) will be undertaken, monitoring climatic and agronomic conditions, the construction of green barriers and the restoration of the protected wet zone (La Vallesa reservoir). Finally, forestry work and vegetation management will be undertaken, fire-resilient species will be introduced, and the public will be trained in fire prevention and self-defence.

The stand also boasts an area displaying a financial overview of the project, including the number of people these actions are intended to protect, the cubic metres of regenerated water that will be used for this prevention work, the approximate number of cannons that will be installed and the hectares to be protected, inter alia.

The stand also shows an analysis of the context surrounding the fires that Riba-roja and Paterna have suffered in recent years, given that the fires are a direct consequence of Climate Change.