Aqualia in the community
The company continued to progress in 2016 in undertaking actions that contribute to improving the well-being of persons living in cities that confide in Aqualia as their water company.
In 2016, Aqualia carried out more than one hundred collaborations in the ambits of culture, education, sports and the environment, reflecting the company's commitment in the communities in which it is present.
Involvement with the youngest
For more than 35 years, Aqualia has carried out activities aimed at the youngest to increase their awareness in an amusing way of the importance of acquiring responsible water consumption habits and the importance of efficient management.
This is the case of the International Children's Drawing Contest which held its 15th edition in 2016 with the subject "The water cycle, an adventure for the brave." More than 8,000 third and fourth year primary school children took part in it from areas in which the company is present with the purpose of encouraging the young to learn about the management of the integral water cycle.
This competition, held in Spain, Portugal, Italy and the Czech Republic and carried out entirely over the Web, included a new section in 2016 containing audio-visual and graphical content to contribute to increasing the children's knowledge of the management of the integral water cycle.
In this edition, 250 finalists and 10 winners have been selected.
At the same time and with the same theme, the seventh edition of the Peque-artistas competition was held for the children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews of employees, in which 178 children aged between four and 14 took part.
Sports activities
Sport also plays an important role in the publishing and awareness of social values such as health, effort, teamwork and respect, fundamental aspects for building a better society.
Every year, Aqualia supports a multitude of sports events and activities in the municipalities in which it provides services. For example:
- In Murcia, the Campus Mista for football and indoor football in Caravaca de la Cruz, organised by the ex-footballer Miguel Ángel Ferrer ‘Mista’ in collaboration with Aqualia is a clear example of the company's commitment to encouraging base sports, a healthy life and social values. A hundred children aged between five and 15 took part in this edition.
- In Denia, a total of 227 children aged between four and 14 also enjoyed the Multi-Sports School this summer in the Sports Centre, organised jointly by the Sports Department and Aqualia as the company managing the installations, in which the children practised all types of sports. This year, thanks to the collaboration with the Tourism Development Centre, the children also took part in weekly culinary seminars where they learned to cook various local recipes.
- In Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Aqualia collaborates with the children’s categories in the Rhythmic Gymnastics Club.
Promotion of culture
In the cultural ambit, every year Aqualia demonstrates its commitment to the municipalities in which it is present beyond the effective provision of the public service, contributing to their economic, social and cultural development.
This year, Aqualia took part once more in the International Street Art Festival held annually to great popular acclaim in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife. On this occasion, the company was present through the Aqualia Space in the Plaza del Charco, one of the main public plazas in the town, where numerous activities forming part of the festival are held.
In Caravaca de la Cruz, Murcia, Aqualia joined with the council in promoting and publishing the Año Santo Jubilar in 2017 through the water bills, which will contribute to dynamising the municipal and interior tourism in the Region of Murcia.
Also notable was Aqualia's sponsorship in Talavera de la Reina of the new ceramic mural dedicated to the Las Mondas festival in the framework of a wider project involving a ceramic "Murals Route."
Awareness
Every year, Aqualia participates in awareness campaigns to inform society of the company’s commitment to efficiency and sustainability.
More than 150 seminars were held in 2016 with various groups –including housewives, pensioners and journalists– and more than 15.000 students. During the visit the participants could see at first hand how the integrated water cycle is managed in a company such as Aqualia and heard advice for responsible water consumption in daily life.
In Lora del Río in Seville, Aqualia collaborated with the local council to start a creative marketing campaign featuring the public and workers to raise awareness of the value of the water service and inform them of the high quality of the tap water as well as the work, technology and infrastructures needed to provide an uninterrupted service every day of the year.
Notable among these actions was the competition to paint sewerage manholes, water tastings and drawings on the pavements simulating the pipes running under the streets. Open door sessions and visits to schools were also organised.
Support for vulnerable groups
Among the responsibilities assumed by Aqualia is the obligation to respond to the social needs of the most vulnerable groups by actively participating in various initiatives and projects.
During 2016, in collaboration with the municipal authorities of the localities in which it is present, it renewed the agreement signed with Cáritas Spain in which Aqualia undertakes to support those initiatives of Cáritas that attend to persons in a situation of vulnerability or exclusion in matters relating to the water cycle and to donate each year the equivalent of the amount of the water bills for Cáritas centres in the cities in which Aqualia provides its service.
At the local level, Aqualia has signed a collaboration agreement with Vigo Council in which, in collaboration with the council’s Social Services, cases of effective inability to pay are identified and more effective solutions sought for them to avoid cutting off water to families without economic resources.
