Spain Correspondent Román Gessa Fernández holds a bachelor's degree in Environmental Science and an MSc in Water Resources and Environment. His main areas of expertise are hydrogeology, contaminated soils and water, and water management.
Why did you decide to join the Groundwater Correspondents Network?
"Mostly out of vocation and a great enthusiasm for divulging, but also as a form of professional self-criticism. If despite trying to contribute to a good water management with my job, we professionals in the sector don’t succeed in making society realize and learn about the importance of groundwater (among other issues), I would feel that only half of the job is done. Thanks to IGRAC and this project, I am sure that we can show how interesting, and unknown groundwater has been from a new approach."
Which topics would you like to cover during your period as correspondent?
"As many as will allow me to! However, focusing on my country and prioritizing due to relevance, I want to cover these two first:
- Natural and National Park of Doñana, a “protected “natural paradise, World Heritage site by UNESCO, an ecosystem full of biodiversity maintained by groundwater whose state is being damaged for decades because of a continued bad management which involved overexploitation, irrigation crops, illegal extractions, and social disagreement.
- With a more optimistic approach, I would like to talk about the inspiring and innovative example of Barcelona. Thanks to much effort and research, they have found in regenerated water a great tool to face their water related problems. It is estimated that they regenerate more than 50 hm3! Among other issues, and putting the focus on groundwater, it will be worthy to talk about the use of regenerated waters as a hydraulic barrier against marine-saline intrusion as well as for infiltration ponds, both in Llobregat aquifer."