Water stewardship in action: turning runoff into a resource in Spain

A two-kilometer pipeline in Pina de Ebro, Spain, is helping conserve local water resources as part of Amazon Web Services' (AWS) commitment to return more water to communities.

Along the banks of Spain's longest river, a simple but innovative solution is tackling an increasingly pressing challenge: how to better manage water resources in one of Europe's most water-stressed regions.
 

In Pina de Ebro, a municipality in Aragon flanked by the meandering Ebro River, a two- kilometer pipeline is transforming agricultural runoff into a valuable resource. The project, announced in 2023 and part of AWS’ commitment to return more water to communities than we use in our operations by 2030, is helping conserve water while supporting both local farmers and a cherished community forest.

In Spain, irrigation communities operate under strict annual water allocations set by river basin authorities to manage water availability across their regions.

"Before this project, we faced a complex challenge," said Pablo Subías Cabrera, secretary of the Pina de Ebro Irrigation Community. "We needed to provide water for both our agricultural needs and our municipal poplar grove, all while staying within our water consumption limits."

The solution emerged through a collaboration between the Irrigation Community, AWS, and Mediodes, an environmental consultancy specializing in projects related to water and aquatic ecosystems. Instead of letting nutrient-rich water from irrigated farmland flow directly into the Ebro River, the new pipeline now captures this runoff and redirects it to a 70-hectare poplar grove the municipality owns.

Before the project, the poplar grove was irrigated with fresh water drawn directly from the main canal. Now, the pipeline irrigates the public forest with water that has already served its primary purpose.

"What makes this solution so effective is that we're using the water twice," Subías Cabrera said. "We irrigate the crops, and then we irrigate the trees with the same water."

The grove also acts as a filter. As the recycled irrigation water flows through the root systems of the poplar trees, the trees absorb excess nutrients that would otherwise pollute the river. This natural filtration instead helps improve water quality while providing the trees with valuable nourishment.

The system is expected to save 864 million liters of water from being drawn from the increasingly stressed Ebro River each year, equivalent to the amount of water in approximately 345 Olympic-sized swimming pools. But the benefits extend beyond conservation.
 

"The poplar grove is vital to our community in many ways," Subías Cabrera said. "It's where our residents come to walk and enjoy nature. It helps protect our town from flooding by slowing down river waters during floods. And it provides income for our municipality through sustainable timber harvesting."

For Pina de Ebro Mayor Pablo Blanquet Abós, the project represents a broader commitment to environmental stewardship.

"This new irrigation system demonstrates a commitment to sustainability while providing landscape and environmental value to our municipality," Blanquet Abós said. "We must acknowledge AWS' collaboration with the territory in Aragon and their firm commitment to optimizing water use."

The project is one of 29 water replenishment initiatives that Amazon has implemented globally. In Spain, where long-term drought has persisted since 2022, such initiatives are increasingly crucial for community resilience.

Carlos Carreras Cuen, president of the governing board of the Irrigation Community, considers the project a model for future water management.

"This support has helped us achieve our water conservation goals while improving distribution throughout our irrigation system," Carreras Cuen said. "It's a win for everyone in our community."

To learn more about Amazon's commitment to nature, visit our water stewardship page. Sign up for our newsletter to get Amazon sustainability updates sent directly to your inbox.