Veolia selected for 1.078 billion euro Barcelona water contract

The Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (AMB) has approved the proposal from Sociedad General de Aguas de Barcelona, part of the Veolia group, to manage drinking water services for eight municipalities for 25 years. The contract is valued at approximately 1.078 billion euros and covers areas including Sant Cugat del Vallès, Molins de Rei, and Tiana, serving roughly 250,000 inhabitants.

Veolia's bid received a perfect score of 100 points in the public tender, outperforming the second-place bidder, the Aiguamet consortium (Aqualia-Aigües de València), which scored 93.58. The contract includes a commitment to invest 168.7 million euros in modernizing hydraulic infrastructure.

The decision has faced opposition from various political groups and competitors. Critics have raised concerns regarding the economic offer, which included a 60% reduction in planned investment costs, leading some to label it as potentially unsustainable. Additionally, some local representatives have expressed concerns regarding the privatization of essential water services and the potential for legal challenges.