New solutions to the challenges of climate changes

Guardian “Green Urban Actions for Resilient fire Defence of the Interface Area” is a project intended to increase resilience to fire in an area of Túria Natural Park. It is the largest fire-fighting infrastructure in Europe and the second largest in the world. In addition to the size of this facility, the differential character is that it uses reclaimed water, treated water subjected to specific treatments for its reuse in the fight against forest fires, which are becoming more and more frequent as a result of the climate crisis.

The initiative, that benefits from a European Union grant, is led by Riba-roja de Túria Town Hall, Paterna Town Hall, Hidraqua, Medi XXI, Valencia University, The Polytechnic University of Valencia and Cetaqua. Túria Natural Park (Generalitat Valenciana, the Regional Government of Valencia) is also collaborating in this project.

Fully operational, among the initiatives that have been developed is the design and construction of a WRS (water regeneration station), for the elimination of emerging microcontaminants, that will treat part of the effluent from EDAR Camp de Túria II. The regenerated water is used, through the installation of cannons, for irrigation and spraying tasks in the event of fire risk or declared fire, avoiding the use of drinking water. Furthermore, the design and construction of a regenerated water distribution network (water tanks, piping, pumping stations) is undertake, monitoring climatic and agronomic conditions, the construction of green barriers and the restoration of the protected wet zone (La Vallesa reservoir). Finally, forestry and vegetation management works, the introduction of fire-resilient species, and the public will be trained in fire prevention and self-defence.

The project also considers communication activity and the training of residents living in the wildland-urban interface, a socioeconomic analysis of the global impact of the project, as well as the replicability of project GUARDIAN in other urban spheres.