Ripple Effect: A Basque Blueprint for Smart Water Management

Nestled between the Bay of Biscay and the Pyrenees, Bilbao’s geography – a blend of coasts, valleys, and mountains – poses unique water management challenges. Volatile weather, with heavy rain and long dry spells, has become the norm.  

Consorcio de Aguas Bilbao Bizkaia (CABB) has embraced technological innovation to tackle these challenges over the past 40 years. CABB’s long-term investments in advanced digital tools such as AI, predictive weather models, and decision-support systems have empowered them to transform data into actionable resilience strategies.  

Ferrán Bosch, Senior Business Development Manager Xylem Vue at Xylem, speaks with Koldo Urkullu, Director of Operations and Asset Management at CABB, about how the utility is innovating to meet volatile weather patterns head-on. 

Ferrán Bosch: Data and technology are central to your operations. How has CABB embraced these tools to enhance resilience? 

Koldo Urkullu: Our journey with digital technology started over 40 years ago with basic telemetry systems. Today, we collect 500,000 data points from sensors monitoring water levels, flow, pressures, and quality indicators every second. 

This real-time data feeds into advanced decision-support systems and predictive weather models, allowing us to anticipate issues and act quickly.  

For example, our systems help us optimize infrastructure use during extreme rainfall and prevent sewage overflows. By integrating AI and weather forecasting, operators can make informed decisions in real time, ensuring that even volatile weather events don’t overwhelm our networks. This proactive approach has allowed us to effectively manage localized storms and widespread downpours, minimizing disruptions to our community.  

Ferrán Bosch: CABB seems to take a strategic approach to using advanced technology for better water management. Can you explain your strategy and the technology you’re deploying?  

Koldo Urkullu: Managing water across diverse communities and geographies is complex, so we take a structured approach. Our UR DATA project has been a game-changer. Instead of using digital solutions for isolated problems, we integrate data from 98 municipalities —both rural and urban—to create a unified model of water management.

The model ensures consistent service delivery and supports our goals of reducing water loss, optimizing wastewater systems, and improving overall efficiency.  

We also collaborated with Xylem on a smart control strategy to reduce overflows in the Galindo basin. We recently deployed Xylem Vue across 165 kilometers of our wastewater network that sends domestic wastewater to the Galindo Wastewater Treatment Plant.  

By combining sensors, weather forecasting, and artificial intelligence, we’re building a real-time decision support system that prevents sewage spills, increases storage, and enhances treatment processes during heavy rainfall. Complementary to the rollout of UR DATA, we’re creating a scalable smart water model that benefits the wide range of communities we serve. 

Ferrán Bosch: What tangible benefits have you seen from these technological advancements? 

Koldo Urkullu: One of the most significant improvements is our ability to respond proactively to extreme weather events. In the past, we relied on reactive measures, but now, with AI and predictive models, we can anticipate problems and identify solutions ahead of time. 

Heavy rain no longer catches us off guard. Our systems distribute water more efficiently, minimizing flood risks, optimizing capacity, and increasing our resilience to external disruptions.   

Beyond this, our ongoing projects aim to incorporate machine learning algorithms to predict water demand more accurately, allowing for better allocation of resources during peak times. This approach ensures water supply for both communities and ecosystems. 

Ferrán Bosch: Operator engagement seems critical for digital transformation. How have you gained their trust? 

Koldo Urkullu: Resistance to change is natural, but we’ve focused on training and early involvement. When operators saw the predictive ability of our systems during storms, their confidence grew. Reliable data builds trust, and we equip our team with tools that are accurate and user-friendly. By demonstrating how technology makes their work easier, we’ve fostered enthusiasm rather than resistance. 

We also listen to operator feedback. Their insights have been invaluable in refining our systems to meet practical needs. This collaborative approach not only accelerates adoption but strengthens our team’s ownership of the technology. Regular workshops and simulations have also helped operators stay ahead of new challenges and feel empowered to make critical decisions. 

Ferrán Bosch: Building healthy communities and prosperous economies requires smart water management. How does CABB align technology with these goals? 

Koldo Urkullu: Integrating technology into our operations has resulted in more responsive and resilient water systems. We’ve reduced water leaks through real-time monitoring and improved efficiency, benefiting both our community and our bottom line.  

We’ve used technology to improve our operations by implementing sludge incineration. The innovative process generates 30% of the energy for our wastewater treatment plant which significantly lowers our reliance on external energy sources. 

By transforming waste into a valuable resource, we are progressing our broader mission to integrate environmental responsibility into every aspect of our operations. 

Our aim is to integrate renewable energy sources into our operations and adopt a holistic approach that reduces our carbon footprint while maintaining high service standards. For us, smart water management means resilience, efficiency, and a commitment to safeguarding natural resources for future generations.   

Ferrán Bosch: What advice would you offer to utilities starting their digital transformation? 

Koldo Urkullu: Start small and focus on practical outcomes. Success builds momentum. Engage your teams from the beginning and prioritize tools that genuinely support their work. Digital transformation isn’t just about technology; it’s about equipping people to tackle challenges with confidence. Build trust incrementally, and let results speak for themselves. These actions will foster a culture of innovation where teams actively experiment and learn.