On 12 April 2019, the operator from Vila Nova de Gaia in Portugal, Águas de Gaia, celebrated its twentieth anniversary since the creation of the municipal operator. The event was the opportunity to go back to the past, take stock of the progress made and present projects for the next years. 

“Back to the Future” was chosen as the slogan for the ceremony held in Gaia’s Auditório Municipal to remember the most remarkable moments of the last two decades, mark the present and project the future.

Águas de Gaia was founded in 1999 by transforming the former water and wastewater municipal services into a municipal company, and, since then, has been able to keep up with innovation and become a reference amongst peers. The operator also expanded its statutes to include the management of rivers and water streams, as well as rainwater drainage systems, and consolidated the path towards internationalisation.

What is the way forward? The event presented new projects for the coming years, with a special emphasis on Águas de Gaia's new official water bottle and the presentation of the architectural project for the new headquarters to be built with funding from the Portuguese Financial Instrument for Urban Rehabilitation and Revitalization (IFRRU 2020).

The company's strategy builds on the objective of being a reference in the sector, with an innovative posture and vision of the future, maintaining high levels of quality and sustainability.

The ceremony was attended by employees, current and former administrators, with the presence of Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues, the mayor of Vila Nova de Gaia, as well as Aqua Publica Europea.