29 Oct ESOLVE presents a data-driven approach to industrial water treatment at IBERAQUA 2026

ESOLVE presents a data-driven approach to industrial water treatment at IBERAQUA 2026

The characterisation of the water and tests in real conditions make it possible to evaluate treatment alternatives before deciding which solution to apply. This has been the focus of ESOLVE’s participation in the IV IBERAQUA Congress, held in Barcelona on 27 and 28 October.

How do you know what technology an industrial water needs when its composition and operating conditions vary from one facility to another? Before choosing a solution, it is essential to know the problem and check how the available alternatives respond.

This was the central idea of the speech by Ricard Mora, managing director of ESOLVE, at Table 7 of the IV IBERAQUA Congress, with the presentation “Characterization of industrial water and evaluation of solutions using plug & play testing systems”.

Faced with a technology-only approach, ESOLVE emphasized a decisive phase: reducing uncertainty before deciding which treatment to apply.

Characterize, test and decide

Table 7 brought together different proposals to address the challenges of industrial water treatment and reuse, from filtration technologies and biological systems to applications for the food industry.

The contribution of ESOLVE focused on how to evaluate solutions based on the real characteristics of the water. The composition of the effluent, the contaminants present, the variability of loads and the operating conditions can condition both the efficiency of a treatment and its viability in the plant.

Therefore, the process must start from a good characterization, define the objectives and compare the available alternatives. When necessary, plug & play test systems allow the performance of a solution to be checked under representative conditions before considering its implementation on a larger scale.

This approach helps to assess not only the efficacy of the treatment, but also its robustness, operational needs and technical and economic feasibility.

Experience applied to real industrial problems

ESOLVE’s experience in the field of water includes situations that require adapting solutions to very different contaminants and conditions.

At a zinc-affected industrial site, the strategy combined a hydraulic barrier with residual treatment. The results recorded showed zinc reductions of between 98.3% and 99.96%, depending on the conditions and points assessed.

In the pharmaceutical sector, ESOLVE has developed a temporary and modular solution to treat water affected by active pharmaceutical ingredients. During a 33-day intervention, with flow rates of between 0.1 and 2 m³/h, electrooxidation, bisulfite and activated carbon processes were combined to respond to the specific needs of the water.

They are different scenarios, with their own objectives and constraints. There is no universal technology for all industrial water problems: the solution must respond to the characteristics of the water and the real conditions of each facility. Mora said in his presentation.

Engineering that connects diagnostics and solution

ESOLVE works on the research and reclamation of soils and groundwater, as well as on the development of solutions for complex environmental problems. Its expertise in characterization, hydrogeology, and decontamination provides a technical foundation to address industrial water challenges from problem knowledge to the evaluation of treatment alternatives.

Participation in IBERAQUA reinforces ESOLVE’s presence in this field and its commitment to data-based engineering, testing and technical criteria, which takes into account both environmental objectives and the operational needs of companies.

We thank AQUA ESPAÑA, Tecnoaqua and IndustriAmbiente for organizing the congress and the opportunity to share knowledge with other professionals in the sector.

Because treating water is important. But knowing why a solution is right for each case is what allows you to make better decisions.