Location
Spain / Europe
Project record
Cáceres El Marco wastewater treatment plant
ACUAES selected a three-member consortium led by Aquambiente for the new El Marco wastewater treatment plant in Cáceres at EUR 61,784,295.49 excluding VAT. The exact award is split Aquambiente 50%, COPASA 30% and PESA Medioambiente 20%, with a 43-month programme covering management planning, 30 months of works and 12 months of commissioning. MITECO's current construction project describes an independent new plant beside the operating works, designed for 181,500 population equivalent and 33,000 m3/day average flow, with five-stage Bardenpho treatment, tertiary microfiltration and disinfection, reclaimed-water storage and a 1.997 MW photovoltaic park. Contract signature, commencement and mobilisation remain unreported.
Segment
Urban wastewater treatment, tertiary reuse and renewable-energy integration
Status
ACUAES selected the Aquambiente-COPASA-PESA consortium on 30 July 2026 at EUR 61,784,295.49 excluding VAT; the award notice was published on 4 August, while contract signature, notice to proceed and mobilisation remain unconfirmed / Confirmed
Last checked
11 August 2026
Coverage
Related sectors
Urban wastewater treatment, tertiary reuse and renewable-energy integration is the primary work classification. Related sectors connect this record to adjacent marine delivery and market coverage.
Subject index
Related subjects
These subject pages bring together related projects, technical articles, reports, and evidence methods.
Project anatomy
Contract scope and delivery roles
- Client / authority
- Sociedad Mercantil Estatal Aguas de las Cuencas de España, S.A. (ACUAES)
- Delivery parties
- UTE Aquambiente Servicios para el Sector del Agua, S.A.U. (50%) - COPASA Infraestructuras, S.L.U. (30%) - PESA Medioambiente, S.A.U. (20%) - selected awardee consortium, Civil, process, mechanical, electrical, automation, photovoltaic and commissioning lower tiers - not publicly identified
- Contract route
- ACUAES ran an open, harmonised works procedure under expediente ACE/527.01/25/OBRA/01. The tender was published on 6 March 2026 with an estimated contract value of EUR 77,182,130.53 excluding VAT and a EUR 93,390,377.94 tax-inclusive base budget. Seventeen offers were received. ACUAES's board awarded the package on 30 July 2026 to the Aquambiente-COPASA-PESA consortium at EUR 61,784,295.49 excluding VAT, a stated 19.95% reduction from the estimated value. The 4 August notice says formalisation is to follow the applicable standstill and five-day procedure; it does not report a signed contract.
- Execution window
- The procurement documents allocate a maximum 43 months: one month for the integrated management plan, 30 months for works and 12 months for start-up, followed by a four-year warranty. Those are contract-stage durations, not dated construction milestones. Signature, notice to proceed, possession of site, mobilisation, commissioning start and completion dates remain unpublished for this works award.
- Works package
- Build a new treatment plant on the parcel beside the existing El Marco works so the new process can be delivered independently of the live facility. The current design basis is 181,500 population equivalent, 33,000 m3/day average flow, 2,338 m3/hour peak flow and 6,875 m3/hour maximum flow. The water line uses five-stage Bardenpho activated sludge with circular primary and secondary clarification, inlet-flow regulation and storm-overflow solids retention, tertiary microfiltration, disinfection and reclaimed-water storage. The layout reserves space for future quaternary micro-pollutant treatment and adds a 1.997 MW fixed photovoltaic park with 3,248 panels, supplementing biogas cogeneration. MITECO gives a total implementation footprint of 91,074 m2.
- Marine interfaces
- This is an inland municipal waterworks package rather than a port, coastal or offshore project. Its delivery interfaces are live-plant continuity, hydraulic inlet and overflow control, nutrient removal, sludge and biogas systems, tertiary reuse, civil-process integration, renewable power, automation, commissioning and treated discharge to the Guadiloba river system. No marine outfall, dredging, reclamation or offshore installation is evidenced.
- Commercial evidence boundary
- The selected offer is EUR 61,784,295.49 excluding VAT and EUR 74,758,997.54 including taxes. It is not the same measure as the EUR 77,182,130.53 estimated contract value or EUR 93,390,377.94 tax-inclusive tender budget. ACUAES records a 19.95% reduction and a four-year warranty. The notice allocates no values to individual consortium members, process systems, civil workfronts or lower tiers, and the award is not evidence of expenditure or final account.
Contract and delivery chain
Named roles and open packages
Named appointments are shown against the workstream they cover. Unallocated packages remain open until a project source identifies the responsible party.
Works award
ACE/527.01/25/OBRA/01 El Marco wastewater treatment plant
- Named party
- Aquambiente-COPASA-PESA consortium
- Status
- Confirmed
- Source position
- ACUAES's board selected the 50%-30%-20% consortium on 30 July 2026 at EUR 61,784,295.49 excluding VAT; the award notice was published 4 August. Source
Treatment capacity
Current El Marco construction design
- Named party
- MITECO / ACUAES
- Status
- Confirmed
- Source position
- MITECO's current project page gives 181,500 population equivalent and 33,000 m3/day average flow for the independent adjacent plant. Source
Process and energy systems
Water line, tertiary reuse and renewable power
- Named party
- Awarded consortium; lower tiers not disclosed
- Status
- Confirmed
- Source position
- The current design includes five-stage Bardenpho treatment, primary and secondary clarification, tertiary microfiltration, disinfection, reclaimed-water storage and a 1.997 MW photovoltaic park. Source
Delivery programme
Planning, works and start-up
- Named party
- ACUAES and selected consortium
- Status
- Confirmed
- Source position
- The procurement sets one month for the integrated management plan, 30 months for works and 12 months for start-up, plus a four-year warranty. Source
Contract execution and field delivery
Formalisation, commencement, mobilisation, progress and acceptance
- Named party
- Not publicly evidenced
- Status
- Not evidenced
- Source position
- The award notice describes a future formalisation procedure and supplies no signed-contract date, notice to proceed, mobilisation record, installed quantity, test or acceptance certificate.
Project timeline
Material developments
Dated events that changed scope, counterparties, delivery, commissioning or operating status.
Open this project in the Change LogACUAES publishes the works award notice
The notice confirms the consortium, EUR 61.784 million excluding-VAT offer, 43-month programme and four-year warranty while leaving formalisation pending.
SourceACUAES board selects the Aquambiente-COPASA-PESA consortium
The award decision identifies the selected consortium and offer value, while contract signature, commencement and mobilisation remain unreported.
SourceCurrent construction project approval is published
MITECO records the current 181,500-population-equivalent design, updated treatment train, independent adjacent layout, tertiary reuse systems and renewable-energy additions.
SourceEvidence gap
What remains unverified
Outstanding evidence
- Contract formalisation, legal effective date and notice to proceed
- Site possession, integrated management plan approval and mobilisation
- Baseline schedule for the 30-month construction phase
- Civil, Bardenpho, clarification, tertiary, reuse, sludge and gas lower tiers
- Photovoltaic EPC and major mechanical, electrical and automation suppliers
- Live-plant continuity, overflow controls and environmental compliance
- Twelve-month start-up, performance tests and operating acceptance
- Variations, paid-to-date value, warranty performance and final account
Sources and related records
Read featured analysis Methodology Submit a correction Project tracker
Source collections
Project sources 5
- ACE/527.01/25/OBRA/01 procurement page ACUAES, Current award page reviewed 11 August 2026
- ACE/527.01/25/OBRA/01 award announcement ACUAES / Plataforma de Contratación del Sector Público, Award decision 30 July 2026; published 4 August 2026
- ACE/527.01/25/OBRA/01 tender announcement ACUAES / Plataforma de Contratación del Sector Público, Published 6 March 2026
- El Marco current construction-project description Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Project approved 15 February 2026; approval published 26 February 2026
- Official PLACSP expediente ACE/527.01/25/OBRA/01 Plataforma de Contratación del Sector Público, Award record published 4 August 2026