Pilot Study on Groundwater Recharge Using Recycled Water in Menorca

The initiative studies the recharge of overused groundwater using treated water

What does it consist of?

Menorca is leading a technical trial in response to the overuse of groundwater through the controlled infiltration of recycled water. The project makes it possible to study the environmental and health impacts of this technique as a way of tackling water scarcity, which increasingly threatens the island’s water supply.

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Data

PROJECT TITLE IN THE CALL
Pilot test: infiltrating treated water to recover overused aquifers
LOCATION
Minorca (Sant Lluís)
Entity submitting the PROJECT
Govern de les Illes Balears
Entity that executes the project
Direcció General de Recursos Hídrics
Project code
ITS2016-012
Total project amount
850.000 €
ITS granted amount
850.000 €
Executed amount
542.763 €
Call year
2016
Execution status
Executed
Purpose
Environment
Budget execution
Executed: 63.85%
Last data request
14.04.2026

The project

The use of sustainable tourism tax funds has allowed Menorca to conduct a pilot study that addresses one of the archipelago’s most immediate water problems: the overuse of groundwater. The initiative comes from the Department of Water Resources and responds to the need to explore alternative solutions in the face of declining rainfall and greater demand.

The project proposes a technique increasingly used in response to water scarcity: artificial groundwater recharge. This involves infiltrating recycled water, following treatment, into underground layers with the aim of restoring their level and capacity. For this purpose, an advanced treatment plant has been built to process a range of water qualities, as have the required control systems: recharge wells, piezometers and continuous monitoring sensors.

The action also includes an applied research phase, with technical follow-up for at least ten months. Factors such as the performance of infiltrated water quality, possible health risks and effects on the receiving environment are assessed. The results will help to assess whether this strategy can be scaled up as a useful tool for island water planning.

In a context of growing pressure on water resources—especially in island regions with intense seasonal tourism—the reuse of wastewater through groundwater recharge emerges as a measure with real potential. Menorca has thus become a testing ground for integrating sustainability, monitoring and public health principles into solutions based on the water cycle.