Befesa acknowledged as the best desalination company of the year at the Global Water Awards

April 30, 2009

Madrid, 30 April 2009. Global Water Intelligence (GWI), the prestigious international publication that specialises in water, has awarded Befesa Agua the Global Water Award as the best desalination company of the year for its outstanding contribution to the desalination industry in 2008.

The Global Water Awards, which are divided into 11 categories, are awarded for excellence in the international water industry for achievements such as agreements, projects, technologies and personnel that have performed outstandingly during the year. The winners are chosen by votes from GWI subscribers around the world, from the Water Desalination Report and by members of the International Private Water Association and the International Desalination Association. In addition to the prestige of winning these awards, they are also one of the most important honours from the industry.

This award acknowledges Befesa’s outstanding performance during the year, including the new contract for its fourth project in Algeria, the Tenés desalination plant; the creation of the joint venture in Quingdao to begin work on what will be the first BOOT (Build, Own, Operate and Transfer) desalination project in China; its entry into the North American market through the acquisition of the Texan companies NRS and Waterbuilt, which have extensive experience in desalinating salt and brackish water and carrying out tests for the public state service; as well as its progress at the Skikda plants (Algeria), which are now operational, and the construction of the Chennai desalination plant (India).

The awards ceremony was organized by GWI with the participation of the ex-Vice President of the United States and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Al Gore, whose commitment to fighting climate change has been a significant catalyst for the desalination market.

Javier Molina, Chairman of Befesa, said, “This award reflects the outstanding efforts made by Befesa during 2008 and ranks it as one of the most important international desalination companies”.

Befesa, the environmental services subsidiary of Abengoa, focuses on providing environmental services to industry and the construction of environmental infrastructures. It is a public listed company with a market capitalisation in excess of €325 million (close 2008). (www.befesa.com).