In northern Spain, the province of Burgos is taking a major step in digitalising the water cycle with the opening of a next-generation modular data-processing centre delivered by Axians.
The Provincial Council of Burgos is keen to equip its 37 municipalities with high-performance digital tools for managing the water cycle. From water quality and consumption tracking to reservoir volumes, wastewater discharges and flood risks: the data-processing centre (DPC) will centralise, secure and make use of all data obtained from the sensors due to be installed in the near future. It entrusted this project to Axians, the VINCI Energies ICT brand.
“This collaboration with Axians is setting out a unified management model, providing an overarching vision at provincial level and enabling each municipality to regulate the water cycle more effectively,” explains Francisco José García López, Public Administration Business Manager at Axians Spain.
The strategic choice of a micro data centre
Rather than a conventional data centre, Axians proposed a modular micro DPC, which is pre-assembled in the workshop before its final installation on site. This approach significantly reduced costs and rollout times, while also ensuring compliance with high-level NIS2, GDPR and ENS standards within the Spanish regulatory framework for cybersecurity.
“A unified water cycle management model”
The infrastructure is notable for its robustness and safety: IP65 cabinets, IK10 anti-vandal protection, NOVEC fire suppression system, video surveillance, and biometric access control.
“The operational teams now have next-generation tools for managing access, physically and remotely,” says Francisco José García López. Redundancy in the electrical, cooling and networking systems ensure maximum availability.
Scalable and sustainable architecture
Designed to be modular and scalable, the DPC offers multiple configuration options and can be expanded at any time. It is currently operating at just 20% capacity, leaving a sizeable margin for meeting future needs, whether to further enhance the water cycle digitalisation project or to incorporate other public services such as waste management.
“Another standout feature of this data centre is its transportability,” adds Francisco José García López. “It can be dismantled and reassembled on another site in just a few days.”
In addition, its carbon footprint is reduced thanks to less energy-intensive equipment and innovative solutions such as the fire-protection system using eco-friendly NOVEC gas. Financed under a European programme, the project is aligned with European Union climate targets. “Sustainability and the capacity to absorb future workloads were essential criteria for the Provincial Council of Burgos. Our solution was designed from the outset to meet these two requirements.”
A global, end-to-end integrated approach
Ultimately, Axians has delivered a complete turnkey solution, including: civil engineering, power supply, cooling, physical security, IT infrastructure, training for local teams, and specialist support. The Provincial Council of Burgos now has robust, secure and sustainable infrastructure capable of supporting its digital overhaul of the water cycle across the region and evolving to meet future needs.
07/13/2026
