WC143 JulyAug 2025 - Magazine - Page 25
Ecofactories: The Future
of Municipal Infrastructure
in Canada
Canada’s municipalities face a critical
challenge: Rebuilding aging wastewater
infrastructure while addressing housing
demands and economic growth.
Most wastewater facilities currently
operate below potential, missing
opportunities for economic development
through resource circularity. The solution?
Transforming conventional facilities
into innovative “Ecofactories.”
Ecofactories can generate renewable energy
through biogas production, solar power,
geothermal, and other clean heat and electricity,
while recovering valuable resources from
waste streams. These sustainability hubs
optimize operations using smart technologies,
promote water recycling, protect biodiversity,
develop workforces and local economies,
and significantly reduce carbon footprints.
This exact strategy has already been put
to use in Spain, a pioneer in transforming
wastewater treatment plants into Ecofactories
and setting a benchmark for sustainable
water management in Europe.
WAT E R C A N A D A . N E T
The Baix Llobregat Ecofactory in Barcelona
exemplifies this approach by reusing 52
million cubic meters of water annually
for eight different purposes, including
agricultural irrigation, industrial and urban
uses, and aquifer recharge. These efforts have
strengthened the city’s resilience to water
shortages and demonstrated the benefits
of large-scale water reuse and recycling.
Canadian municipalities can replicate this model
through strategic policy support, financial
incentives, and stakeholder collaboration.
By adopting the Ecofactory approach,
municipalities can leverage infrastructure
investments to create resilient systems that
address multiple challenges simultaneously –
transforming necessary infrastructure expenses
into investments that generate environmental,
economic, and social returns for communities.
LEARN MORE AT
veolia.ca/en/Ecofactory
WATER C AN ADA • JULY/AUGUS T 2025
25
