Our Blog

Estefanía Bautista Salinas is an R&D&I Project Manager in Aqualia’s Innovation and Technology Department, within the Eco-Efficiency Area. She also carries out specific activities in the Canary Islands Delegation, such as the remineralisation of desalinated water through calcite beds, and provides support in improving drinking water production processes in desalination plants (EDAM), with the aim of enhancing the quality of the product water (in close collaboration with the Production Department). She contributes to strengthening the O&M capabilities needed to guarantee the quality of water supplied to customers, and has played an active role in supporting various Aqualia Departments in the creation of the Innovation Hub “Water and Added-Value European Center” (WAVE), inaugurated in 2025. This interview takes place within the framework of the Interreg MAC IDIWATER project, coordinated by the ITC, which brings together public centers and universities from the Canary Islands and Africa, leading companies in integrated water cycle management, and public bodies involved in R&D&I policies and the promotion of economic development in the water industry, with the aim of increasing public–private cooperation and addressing common problems in the industrial water cycle through applied research.   How did a center like WAVE emerge here in the Canary Islands? There are two main reasons: first, the Canary Islands are the perfect laboratory for the implementation of a center of these characteristics; and second, Aqualia, Entemanser, and the City Council of Adeje promoted the initiative and entrusted the Innovation and Technology Department with the development of the Center and the projects carried out there. For context, the Canary Islands were once the place where the first desalination plant in Europe was built, 60 years ago. Today, they have the highest density of desalination plants in all of Spain. This, combined with the fact that water in the archipelago is a limited resource—unlike almost anywhere else in the country—and that the conditions here make it possible to facilitate and accelerate the development of innovative solutions, in addition to benefiting from new advancements, meant there was no hesitation when it came to building the WAVE Innovation Center.   What would you say were the main challenges you faced when designing this center? For us, the greatest challenge was securing the resources needed to design and build a multipurpose and flexible center, interconnected with the La Caleta SWRO plant. The center had to include all services required to supply the processes with different types of water—deionized, seawater, brine, or network water—and energy sources, in order to ensure versatility across the fields of study. Only by guaranteeing and offering all the necessary conditions could we effectively develop R&D&i projects and attract universities, research centers, and companies from all over the world. Additionally, special attention was given to landscape integration, using native plants, wooden buildings, and colors that blend with the surroundings.   What projects are you currently working on? We are currently working on various projects, three of them are international: Rewaise, SaltEAU, and IDIWATER. All of them involve activities aligned with the three core pillars of work at this center: desalination, brine valorization, and integration with renewable energy sources. From the Rewaise project, Alma de Mar was born—an iconic example of circular economy where what is traditionally considered a waste product of desalination is transformed into a valuable product, using a sustainable process powered exclusively by solar and wind renewable energy. Alma de Mar is an initiative that demonstrates how innovation can create new sustainable products from industrial by-products, linking water management with gastronomy in a pioneering way.   And within the IDIWATER project—what role do you play? In this project, our role is that of a beneficiary partner, and the activities to be carried out focus on the specific objective related to applied research. Specifically, three activities will be developed: Field validation of advanced sensor systems for the control, monitoring, and optimization of desalination plants, validating pre-commercial technologies for their implementation and online measurement of parameters in desalination facilities. Development of technologies for energy recovery from brine through the Pressure-Retarded Osmosis (PRO) process. Production of products derived from the brine stream using salt precipitation processes and systems for obtaining disinfection products for water treatment.   How do you think AI, big data, and the Internet of Things will impact the industrial water sector? Artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are transforming the water sector by improving efficiency and sustainability. These technologies already enable predictive maintenance and leak detection through real-time sensors, reducing costs and water losses. Furthermore, they improve water quality management and help optimize distribution by analyzing consumption patterns. Essentially, the integration of these tools makes water management smarter, safer, and more resilient—better prepared to face future challenges.   Earlier you mentioned that the Canary Islands play a key role in desalination. Do you believe this importance arises from water scarcity? Is it a matter of survival? The importance of desalination in the Canary Islands is indeed a vital issue that arises, first and foremost, from the need to survive amid freshwater scarcity. Lacking rivers and large aquifers, desalination plants are essential to ensure supply for the population, agriculture, and tourism, becoming a key technology for the region’s viability and development. This high concentration of water technology and infrastructure has transformed the islands into a natural laboratory for innovation in the water sector. Collaboration between public and private entities—as demonstrated in projects like IDIWATER—is crucial for fostering technological advancements that not only benefit the Canary Islands but also reach an international scale. This collaborative approach, along with knowledge exchange, is fundamental to achieving significant and sustainable improvements in global water management.