La Malaga sanitation network has had to cope with a considerable figure in the last year: a total of 2.345 tons of solid waste They have been removed from the city's wastewater by the Malaga Municipal Water Company (Emasa).
This volume of waste, carried by the sewer system to pumping stations and treatment plants, represents an increase of 6,7% compared to the previous year and breaks the downward trend that had been recorded in recent years, despite technical investments and awareness campaigns launched by the City Council.
An increase in waste that breaks the downward trend
According to data provided by the Malaga Municipal Water Company (Emasa), during 2025 were removed from the sanitation network 2.345 tons of municipal solid wasteThis figure exceeds the 2.197 tons recorded the previous year, which translates into a del% increase 6,7 and halts the progressive reduction that had been achieved since 2017.
That downward trend had allowed us to move from close to 3.721 tons recorded in the middle of the last decade to just over 2.300 tons in 2023, but the 2025 fiscal year has meant a Change of trend which worries the council and the company managing the complete water cycle.
Behind this increase, Emasa points to both the citizen behavior such as certain weather conditions. On the one hand, the habit of flushing all kinds of things down the toilet persists. non-biodegradable hygiene wasteOn the other hand, the year was marked by rainy periods that helped to flush out debris accumulated in the network during periods of drought.
The City Council reminds that These tons of waste end up in the landfill. after being removed from the network, which puts an extra strain on the purification system, increases operating costs and hinders compliance with the environmental objectives set at the state and European levels.
Wipes and hygiene products, the main source of the problem
The vast majority of solids found in Malaga's wastewater come from personal hygiene products that should never end up in the toilet. Among them are the hygienic wipes, cotton swabs, compresses, makeup remover pads and other similar items, many of which are marketed with confusing messages about their possible disposal down the toilet.
These materials, although they may seem harmless at first glance, they are not biodegradable Nor do they disintegrate quickly in water. On the contrary, they accumulate in the sewer system, become entangled with each other, and form veritable blockages that obstruct pipesThey strain the pumps and complicate the work of the purification teams.
The transport of these wastes to the pumping stations (EBAR) and the wastewater treatment plants (EDAR) generates recurring breakdowns in mechanical equipmentThis reduces the efficiency of treatment processes and forces... halt facilities to carry out cleaning and repairs, with the consequent economic and operational impact.
The situation worsens in episodes of heavy rains, such as those recorded in 2025. At those times, runoff water carries water into the sanitation network waste that had been retained at critical points during dry periods, which multiplies both the flow rate and the amount of solids that suddenly reach the pumping and purification systems.
Where are the 2.345 tons of waste intercepted?
The total volume removed by Emasa is not concentrated in a single point of the system, but is distributed throughout the different phases of the sanitation cycleOf the 2.345 tons collected in 2025, a significant portion is extracted directly into the sewer systems, and the remainder into... specific facilities located downstream.
Around 33,8% of the total (approximately 793,3 tons) comes from periodic cleaning of the municipal sanitation networkwhere maintenance teams work on collectors and pipes to remove accumulated solids and prevent blockages.
Another notable block, the Approximately 40,1% (940,7 tons), remains detained in the screening and coarse screening systems of the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) of Guadalhorce and Peñón del CuervoThese are the facilities where water is pre-treated before biological processes, and where larger waste is separated.
El remaining 26% (around 611 tons) is intercepted in the wastewater pumping stations (WWPS)These facilities, equipped with specialized equipment for solids removal, are key to pumping water to treatment plants, and the accumulation of waste within them can cause problems. unexpected shutdowns and damage to pumps and grates.
The distribution of waste by phases of the sanitation system demonstrates the constant pressure to which urban infrastructures are subjected and makes it clear that the problem is not limited to a specific point, but affects the entire chain, from homes to the final purification facilities.
An annual cost of approximately 1,9 million euros
Beyond the environmental impact and the inconveniences caused by blockages and overflows, the accumulation of solid waste in wastewater has a direct effect on public accountsFor Emasa, cleaning the networks, removing solids, and transporting them to the landfill represent a annual cost close to 1,9 million euros.
This figure includes the work of the teams of Preventive and corrective maintenance of the sewer network, the operation of the screening and roughing systems in WWTPs and EBARs, and the transfer of the waste to Los Ruices Environmental Centerwhere they are ultimately managed as urban waste.
In addition to that recurring expense, additional investments in infrastructure modernization and in the comprehensive waste managementThese include the expansion of filtration equipment, the replacement of pumps affected by premature wear and tear, and the installation of new control and automation systems to optimize the operation of the sanitation system.
The municipal company insists that a significant portion of those 1,9 million euros could be allocated to service improvements If the amount of waste that should never end up in the toilet were reduced, decreasing the use of wipes and similar products would ease the burden on the facilities and allow direct more resources towards renovation and climate change adaptation actions.
In a European context where cities are required to an increasingly rigorous treatment of its wastewater And as environmental quality requirements are strengthened, these additional costs linked to everyday behaviors represent a added burden to advance in sustainability.
Technical reinforcements at pumping stations and wastewater treatment plants
To contain the problem, Emasa has been deploying a series of measures in recent years technical actions in the sanitation network and in the treatment facilities, with the aim of intercepting as much waste as possible at the first points in the chain and thus reducing downstream damage.
One of the priority lines of work has been the Installation of new screens at wastewater pumping stationsThese devices retain solids before they enter the pumps, preventing blockages or excessive wear, and facilitating the removal of waste. withdraw and compact for subsequent transport.
In parallel, the municipal company is promoting a plan to equip the network with roughing systems at storm relief pointsIn situations of heavy rainfall, when the flow rate increases dramatically and it is necessary to alleviate some of the flow to prevent flooding, these systems help to minimize the dumping of solid waste to the receiving medium.
Another line of action focuses on improving the processes so that the waste extracted from wastewater is increasingly removed dry and compactreducing its volume and weight. This strategy not only facilitates its management in the landfill but also waste recovery, but also contributes to reduce the costs associated with transport and the rate per ton treated.
Even so, the company emphasizes that, no matter how many technical advances are implemented, No technological solution can fully compensate for the effects of improper toilet use.Citizen collaboration remains an essential element for these investments to be truly effective.
Awareness campaigns and changes in habits
Aware that the origin of the problem lies largely in the home, the Malaga City Council and Emasa They maintain several lines of communication open. Environmental education and citizen awarenessThe basic idea is simple: the toilet is not a trash can and what is thrown in there does not disappear by magic.
Municipal campaigns repeatedly emphasize that only Three things should end up in the toiletSewage, urine, and toilet paper. Everything else—wipes, cotton swabs, sanitary pads, face masks, cigarette butts, or food scraps—should be disposed of in the appropriate waste fractioneither in the household waste bin or in the specific containers provided on public roads.
To reinforce this message, the following have been developed: awareness-raising activities in schools and universitiesas well as with neighborhood associations and social groups, including guided tours of the purification facilities so that citizens can see firsthand what happens to the water once it goes down the drain.
During these visits and workshops, the technical staff explains the complete journey of wastewater, shows the piles of solid waste accumulating in grates and sieves and details the human, energy and economic effort involved in keeping the system running when it is used improperly.
The City Council insists that a relatively simple change of habits In bathrooms and kitchens, this could significantly reduce the tons of waste that end up in the sewer system. This reduction would ease the burden on sanitation facilities, lower operating costs, and help to to protect both the rivers and the sea as well as the urban environment.
However, the figures from the last year show that battle against wipes and other non-biodegradable waste It remains open. As long as Malaga's sanitation network continues to receive thousands of tons of waste each year that shouldn't end up in the toilet, it will be necessary to maintain—and probably intensify—both the technical investments such as awareness initiatives to prevent the problem from getting worse.
