(Ferrovial) Water

Water Consumption

In 2011, total water consumption (6,291,898 m3) reflected an increase of 16,6% compared with the volume reported the previous year.

It is important to note that the Group’s reported water consumption is restricted 100% to the volume of water provided through the supply network. Diverted water in various business areas, basically from temporary use of flows in surface water and public streams, is not reported.  Authorisations have been requested to the competent organs for all these derivations. Nearly half of the primary uses of water are aircraft maintenance and cleaning, water in public bathrooms for passengers, and catering services.

(The graphics are being updated)

Due to the high level of water consumption in the airport facilities there is a strategy in place to detect any possible losses and to optimize consumption. Among the measures implemented are the following: leak detectors, real-time monitoring of water consumption, installation of Biox continuous fl ow measurement systems to check BOD corporate responsibility evironment levels in superfi cial waste water, water-saving systems in cisterns and faucets in bathroom equipment or the collection of rainwater and wells for use as non-drinking water.

Particular mention should be made in this respect of the design of terminal T5 in Heathrow, which was opened in March 2008. It has independent systems of water piping that supply non-drinking water from collected rainwater and wells. This reduces the need to use the public water network by around 70%. The system for collecting rainwater uses about 85% of all the water received in the collection area. The two wells that collect water from the aquifer have been in place from the construction phase of T5 and are 150 meters deep. The two systems combined can provide an average flow of 55 liters per second of non-drinking water.

The experience will also be applied to the future T2A terminal in the Eastern Campus, which is currently under construction.