SMAGUA 2025 is a key event for strengthening the competitiveness and development of the water, environment, and irrigation industries. With the aim of rewarding technological innovation, the Technological Improvements and Innovations Competition selects products that stand out for their contribution to the market.

In this edition, the jury is composed of Adela Hernández Laguna, Head of the Risk Engineering Area of ​​Alto Aragón; Ricardo Aliod Sebastián, Professor of Fluid Mechanics at the Higher Polytechnic School of Huesca and the University of Zaragoza; and Enrique Cabrera Marcet, Emeritus Professor of Fluid Mechanics at the Polytechnic University of Valencia. Óscar Ruiz Lozano, Professor of Water Supply and Sanitation at the Polytechnic University School of La Almunia and UNIZAR, and chaired by Miguel Ángel García Vera, Head of the Hydrological Planning Office of the Ebro River Basin Authority.

In accordance with the call for proposals, which stipulates awarding the designation of innovation or improvement to those products or services that stand out for their technological contribution, innovation, and results, the jury announced the awarding of 10 SMAGUA 2025 Technological Innovations:

• Acqua-Solfit (Barcelona) for its “Kio Composite Manhole Covers,” an innovative product that solves the problems associated with manhole covers by replacing current practices with new materials. The product meets the resistance standards set by European regulations for traffic and offers other improvements such as noise reduction and electrical insulation.
• Amiblu Pipes Spain (Tarragona) for “AMISCREEN: Solids Retention System,” which helps reduce pollution reaching rivers, complies with the Public Water Domain Regulations, and prevents the accumulation of dirt outside spillways, as it is installed inside the network.
• Dibitec (Portugal) for “OverWatch® - Direct In-Line Pump System,” a wastewater pumping system from a dry well, with two pumps in parallel with individual frequency converters and autonomous control algorithms. It provides a compact, easy-to-install, energy-efficient solution capable of automatically resolving blockages by reversing rotation and equipped with various impellers for specific conditions. It offers features not found in other products, increasing the reliability and safety of the installation.
• Hidromejoras (Madrid) for “DIVE-IA®,” a noise recording system that allows for automatic and reliable identification and classification of leak alerts. It frees system operators from routine work and subjectivity.
• Huber Technology Spain (Madrid) for the HUBER CarbonWin System, which allows for increased capacity in existing wastewater treatment plants and the replacement of aerobic sludge stabilization with anaerobic digestion. The system eliminates the need for large primary settling tanks in wastewater treatment plants by performing their function with a very fine mesh screen through a deep filtration process.
• Kamstrup Spain (Madrid) for the “flowIQ 2200 with LoRaWAN®”, one of the best water meters on the market, distinguished as an intelligent ultrasonic meter for the precise measurement of cold water consumption in residential applications. It is interoperable, scalable, and safe in operation.
• Mejoras Energéticas (Madrid) for “DSU-Control®”, a tool designed to address the implementation of the new Regulations for the Public Water Domain (Royal Decree 665/2023), representing a prime example of companies' efforts to support compliance with legal regulations.
• Metrohm Hispania (Madrid) for “Metrohm Process Analytics 2060 VA”, recognized for its practical application and innovative nature. This versatile continuous wet chemistry analyzer is capable of performing titrations, standard dynamic addition, differential absorbance colorimetry, and direct measurements (e.g., pH, conductivity, and temperature). It analyzes multiple parameters simultaneously and meets most online analytical needs.
• Sensara (Logroño) for “SN8 Online Respirometer”. The innovation it brings allows for continuous process control, enabling real-time adjustments, especially to the aeration of the reactor's aerobic zone—the most critical and energy-intensive stage of the wastewater treatment plant. This maximizes treatment efficiency, reduces electricity consumption, and optimally manages the denitrification process.
• Solocov (Barcelona) was awarded for “AquaSmart” for its evolution of vehicle water filling stations, incorporating modern smart technologies. The hydrant connects to an online platform that controls access for authorized users, monitors consumption, automates billing, and even optimizes routes quickly identifying available charging points.

Regarding the SMAGUA 2025 Technological Improvements, the Jury selected the following four:

Contazara (Zaragoza) for “CZUS Ultrasonic Meter with Pressure Sensor and NB-IoT Communications Technology.” This represents a technological improvement over existing systems by measuring water volumes using ultrasound with sustainable and durable materials and an autonomy of 12 years of continuous operation.

Furthermore, it incorporates additional water pressure measurement and allows for highly diversified use, with potential applications in the water supply sector for towns and industries, as well as irrigation.

• ITM Filters (Huesca) for “New Generation of ROTARY-500-L Filters,” which allow for quick and efficient cleaning with reduced water consumption. The segmented mesh reduces energy and raw material consumption during repairs, and its optimized maintenance allows for servicing without disassembling the unit.
• Radiopoint Systems (Madrid) for “vLoc3-RTK-Pro”. The system for detecting the position and trace of underground cables and metallic pipes is of interest to the water sector, as it uses metallic pipes, generally cast iron, in medium and large diameters, and plastic in smaller diameters. The need for accurate cable and pipe location, especially for small-diameter pipes, is met by this contribution, which improves upon the existing product by adding an internal module that introduces the necessary corrections to increase geolocation accuracy.
• Vonroll Hydro (Madrid) for “Leakapp”. Managing leak detection in the field requires listening, analyzing, measuring, recording, planning, repairing, and verifying all these diverse processes both on-site and in the office. The software used for these activities, which previously ran on bulky hardware that hindered fieldwork, is now improved with the introduction of an app that can run on compact and lightweight mobile devices, facilitating tasks and integration.

The Jury and the organizers of the Competition highlight the high quality of the entries submitted and the great success of this year's competition, which is a source of encouragement for both. This high level of participation and the quality of the projects reflect the sector's commitment to innovation and technological development, essential for addressing current and future challenges in water management. Furthermore, the diversity of proposals submitted demonstrates the industry's dynamism and its capacity to provide efficient and sustainable solutions.

The awards ceremony will take place at the Zaragoza Trade Fair Auditorium on March 4, 2025, at 5:00 p.m., as part of the first day of the competition.