Mar Menor goes high-tech with a groundbreaking solution to stop pollution
In a global first, 5 million euros will be invested in developing technology to effectively cleanse the waters of the Mar Menor
The regional government in Murcia is banking on technology to rid the Mar Menor of damaging nitrates, developing a ground-breaking tool that will cleanse the waters flowing into the lagoon from the Albujón.
This innovative solution, which will be the first of its kind, should significantly reduce the amount of harmful nutrients in the water while maintaining the environmental balance of the lagoon.
It will be developed through the Development Centre for Technology and Innovation (CDTI), an organisation linked to the Ministry of Science.
While the technology will be specifically designed for waters such as those of the Mar Menor, it will also lay the foundations for providing a solution to other bodies of water contaminated by nitrates anywhere on the planet.
The project, called 'Recupera', will be developed in four phases, and will receive support and advice from national and international technology companies and research centres.
The first of the four phases, which has already started, will focus on exploring the market to identify technological solutions that meet the specified needs.
In the second phase, detailed sustainability and efficiency criteria will be established, which all tendered projects must adhere to.
The third phase will involve selecting the proposals that meet these requirements, moving forward with either prototype development or testing to ensure compliance. Finally, in the fourth phase, the prototype will be evaluated in a real-world setting within the Mar Menor to assess its effectiveness.
The development of 'Recupera' has a total investment of 5 million euros. The regional government is covering 1.25 million, FEDER funds will account for a further 3 million and the Centre for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI) has invested 750,000 euros.
The CDTI will lead this process, ensuring that the developed solution meets the technical and environmental requirements necessary for its implementation.
Image: CARM
