Sant Vicenç dels Horts (Spain)

The Sant Vicenç dels Horts (SVH) MAR system is one of the most active aquifer recharge systems in the Llobregat (Spain) area. It consists of a decantation pond (5600 m2) and an infiltration pond (4000 m2). The purpose of this aquifer recharge system is to increase groundwater resources at the local scale, with an annual volume recharge 1.11 (2011) and 1.16 million (2012) cubic metres of raw surface water coming from the Llobregat River. In 2011, an organic layer of vegetal compost was installed on the bottom of the infiltration pond to enhance adsorption and degradation processes along the recharge, the first of such an approach at such a large scale, worldwide.

 

Additional information about this site can be found here.

 

MAR profile:

 

Attribute

SANT VICENÇ DELS HORTS

General information

Country

Spain

City

Barcelona

Site name

Sant Vicenç dels Horts infiltration system

Operator name

Agència Catalana de l’Aigua

Type of MAR

Infiltration Ponds 

Year commenced

2008

Current status

Full operation

Map coordinates

41.39/ 2.02

Operational scale (Mm3/a)

~ 1.8

Objective

Environmental

Capture zone

Influent source

River water

Reclaimed water (future)

Pre-treatment

Source water treatment before recharge

Settling basin

Recharge

No of recharge facilities

2 ponds (1 recharge, 1 settling)

Hydraulic loading rate (m3/m2 d)

~ 1

Recharged volume (Mm3/a)

~ 1.8

Sub-surface

Residence time (d)

unknown

 

Aquifer properties

range of hydraulic conductivity representative for the aquifer (m/s): 1×10-2

Lithology of the target aquifer: porous

Thickness of the unsaturated zone: few m

Thickness of the target aquifer: Up to 10

Recovery

Distance of recovery wells from point of recharge (m)

-

Recovered volume (m3/a)

-

Recovered infiltrate (%)

-

No of recovery facilities

-

Post-treatment

Water treatment after recovery

-

End-use

 

Environmental (aquifer is used for agriculture, drinking water, industry)