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The new contract is a clear example
of innovation in the provision of a traditional and
mature service, basic for the development
and welfare of a city
FCC’s Environment division will continue to
manage the sewerage system in Barcelona
after winning the new contract put out to
tender by the local City Council and will be
providing this service until 2022. The Com-
pany surpassed by a wide margin the points
of the other companies that bid for the con-
tract. The innovative solutions proposed
by FCC under the smart service concept
based on efficiency, technology, the exper-
tise of its employees and the experience
accumulated over the years after working
for more than 100 years in this field, made
it possible for the company to submit a bid
that could not be surpassed by the other
competitors. This tender for the provision
of public services has been the most am-
bitious, actually demanding that companies
propose smart initiatives for the execution
of the contract.
The sewerage maintenance contract in
Barcelona is a clear example of public-
private collaboration, where the City Cou-
ncil becomes the real sponsor and driver
of new proposals, and a company takes
up the challenge of providing innovative
yet realistic solutions. The City Council of
Barcelona has become one of the main
drivers of smart solutions for the provision
of public services. These dynamics pose
great challenges to companies by incre-
asing the demands in comparison with
the traditional method for performing the
work. It also creates the suitable condi-
tions so that companies can innovate and
create new technologies. It is a real wager
for private-public collaboration based on
the smart philosophy rather than the low-
cost concept. It represents a wager for a
strategic long-term vision, quality, innova-
tion and efficiency, quite different from the
short-term concept of an “auction”, quite
common in most public tenders. The new
contract is a clear example of innovation
in the provision of a traditional and mature
service, which is essential for the develop-
ment and welfare of a city.
Innovation examples
In the early days of the first management
contract for the sewerage system in Barce-
lona, which started to be provided in 1911,
before going down to the sewers to per-
form different types of tasks (repairs, clea-
ning, inspection…), the operators would
place a parakeet in a cage and, with a rope,
would lower the cage to check the levels of
toxic gases in the area where they planned
to go down and work. At the first signs of
lack of oxygen, the area was ventilated and
the workers waited until the atmosphere
did not pose a threat to the health of the
men or of the parakeet. Over the years,
this rudimentary method evolved into the
current one, an example of technology put
at the service of smart services. The FCC
proposal includes the use of drones and
robotised machines to perform the sewer
inspection tasks and the most difficult jobs
or to enter areas where access is the most
difficult.
Sustainability will come first
Moreover, all the work contemplated in the
contract will be performed under the con-
cept of sustainability, as evidenced by the
development of a fleet of electric vehicles
that will be used for carrying out the day-
to-day work. FCC is the undisputed market
leader in this technology applied to the pro-
One of the drones used to perform sewer inspection tasks.