Interview to Manuel Blond Visiers, president of Aedyr

Organise this edition of the congress has been all a challenge for Aedyr, because of the difficult context that surrounds no only to the sector of the desalación but, in general, to the economic field, social, politician, technician... I think that this country is happening, in my opinion, by a much more black stage of what could be a structural or circumstantial crisis.

Once said this, and taking into account this panorama, also have to signal that the balance of this IX Congress is positive because we have achieved to attract to near of 250 participants, because we have attained to have data of the last plants realised by the Spanish companies and because we have enjoyed of an international presence very high. This last, in good part, by the stupendous collaboration that come maturing from does several years with the Icex. Besides, the one who an association like ATTA, that represents to the big contractors, have wanted to collaborate in the organisation of this congress, has been very positive for all. 

From my punto, has done what it was necessary to do, but confront us to a situation in which it mediates an abyss between what for real realises the sector and what explains of this. And in front of this how can answer? My opinion is that it is necessary to follow working as up to now, doing deaf hearings on many of the foolishnesses that say of our activity, which are based in the mediocrity and in the ignorance. In the long run, all these opinions will remain in at all, in water of borrajas. Therefore, we will follow working to employ always the best technologies, to win new projects, to keep a high level of export and to keep alive a sector that handles a turnover from among 2.000 and 3.000 million euros.

This IX Congress of Aedyr has gone precisely in this steering, facilitating an exchange of experiences that benefit to the sector and mentalizando to all the professionals that ours companies keep on being leaders to world-wide level.

In Spain has realised , in three phases, an intense program of development of technology that allows today obtain sufficient resources hídricos ‘no conventional' that compensate, when it do lacking, the ‘conventional ‘'. Therefore, what it is necessary to do is to educate to the big population that the desalación is something positive for her, that comprise that if it calls to the desalación ‘resource no conventional' is precisely because it is not water fallen of the sky. The trasvases are good… but also is it the desalación. What really does well an option or another are the circumstances that surround it. It is not the same trasvasar water to 1.000 km that to 3.000 km, as neither it is it situate a plant of desalación in a place that in another.

In definite, what can not do of this is a fight. We have to be logical, serious, generous and, especially, have clear that are to the service of the population, offering them the possibility to attend to these no conventional ‘resources'.

Are in front of an extraordinarily mature technology and developed. Somebody can be still thinking that the desalación keeps on being costlier that the conventional ‘formulas' but… which is the cost of the water that do not have? Infinite. Therefore, we do not confuse to the people. Of course that it is cheaper the water that falls of the sky, or the one who proceeds of a river, or the one who have in an aquifer that regenerates … but if it results that we do not have of any of these sources in our cycle hídrico, does not remain us another that produce water. We need in these cases factories of water, employing for this a source that is incommensurable, inagotable and with a constant quality as it is the mar. are not discovering at all new, already in period of the Greeks and of the Romans desalaba in small quantities in the ships.

Now, if we do of this flag for another type of reasonings or fights, badly go.

Can not throw to the bonfire to anybody but yes have to say that there is a social sector, abetted sometimes by politicians and other times by do not know who, that does not help to his progress. In any case, this situation is much deeper that all this. The reality is that we have to look us less the navel, that have to be more generous and that we have to look more to the future. And the future, when there is not water, is to produce it.

Would begin saying that thanks to the big work that have realised during 30 years the Spanish companies (and the administration, to which do not go to denostar), our country has developed the best technology. Right now, of the 20 more important companies in the world, 8 are Spanish, which will be winning probably 70% of all the agreements in desalación. We are the fourth country in production of water desalada, with an installed capacity of around 2 million m³ daily, that will expand in brief until the 3,5 millions.

Like this is, Australia is one of the most recent but also have attained a big expansion in other areas of the world like Middle East, the North of Africa, Latin America, the Africa Subsahariana, China, The Indian… There where go out to contest a plant always there is, at least, half dozen of competitive Spanish offers.

Really is very developed, although it is the last of the three priorities that mark this sector: 1) have water; 2) that this was of quality; and 3) generate additional resources. Have water where did not have it or where supposes a big cost trasvasarla, have achieved it thanks to the desalación. Once surpassed this first step, have attained also improve the quality of this water. And now we are in this third step to be able to employ the water several times to optimise our resources. This is the reuse.

Of course. We know that in Europe there are three pillars on which cimenta the world of the water. First we have to optimise the consumption, avoiding losses. Segundo, it is necessary to keep a quality in what we throw for his possible reuse. And third, have to pay all the costs that comports the production of water.

Will follow the same way of arropar to our technology was and to be each day more near of entities like Icex or of associations patronales like Atta, knowing that if we go all together will arrive more far.

What himself would like me, and know that it is a challenge complicated, is that inside our country were able to explain well to all the levels and social layers how are the things truly, so that we can feel us a bit prouder of what do.

The Council of Steering was integrated cheese cheese only by 9 members, that a bit later happened to 11, and that in 2007 increased to 15, given the growth in the number of associated.

Once consolidated the association, and already in the year 2003 initiates a periodic renewal of the members of the Council of Steering each two years, and initiates a new period in that new people enter new ideas and tools, giving a twist importantísimo to this association that consolidates in a new social domicile, new means and a national and international projection much stronger.

Aedyr Pretends to represent to all, that is to say, to the big engineers, to the small, to the service companies, to the manufacturers of components, to the universities and centres of investigation, to the public servicys, and to any person that to private title wish to be in contact with this community.