On 16 August 2024, Spain’s Ministry for Ecologic Transition (MITECO) announced provision approval of 50 projects for the second round of funding awarded under the Recovery and Economic Transformation Strategy Plan (PERTE) to digitalize the urban water cycle. Focused on urban water-cycle efficiency, EU-funded subsidies and grants will support project implementation.
The second round approved 50 of 328 projects, worth €380 million. Public funding increased its planned contribution by €100 million to €300 million. These funds catalyze investment in Spain’s water sector, with municipalities working together to make important system improvements.
Although public entities will receive the bulk of the PERTE funds, private and mixed equity concessions serve over 60% of the population. Large private operators (e.g., Veolia, Aqualia, Global Omnium, Saur, Acciona) enable infrastructure upgrades through concession contracts. Funds will likely focus on metering rollouts; however, digital transformation is critical to utilities’ long-term investment strategies.
In this Research Note:
- Second round balances support between large cities and small communities
- Veolia cements position as a leading private player through PERTE
- Technology providers gear up for PERTE-driven order flow
- PERTE-related funding flow to continue across a broader spectrum of stakeholders
