Spain's new Water Transparency Seal (“Sello de gestión transparente del agua”) is a public distinction from the national government that recognizes water users who prove transparency and good management. It's regulated by Order TED/439/2026, of May 6 (published in the BOE on May 8, 2026) and is valid for three years.
Who can apply
- Holders of water concessions or use permits: including supramunicipal public entities that manage the urban water cycle. Users with multiple water uses can apply on a modular basis, by facility, territorial area, or specific use.
- Users without a direct water permit: can apply if they certify water use of at least 20,000 m³/year, matching the second category under Order TED/1191/2024.
- Water user communities and general irrigation communities: can apply when the community itself holds the water permit.
The order covers six types of water use: urban supply, irrigation, hydroelectric power generation, other industrial uses, aquaculture, and other uses. It applies within inter-regional river basin districts, not basins managed directly by Spain's autonomous regions.
Two categories, not one
- Ordinary category, “Water Transparency Seal”: requires meeting general transparency and disclosure requirements (Article 4 of the Order).
- Higher category, “Transparent and Sustainable Water Management Seal”: requires, on top of the above, measurable improvements depending on the water use (Article 5): reduced consumption, lower losses, water reuse, regenerated water, improved discharges, or protection of water resources.
To apply for the higher category, an organization must already hold the ordinary one.
What you need to prove
- Information transparency: relevant data on your water management, available to whoever needs it.
- Measurement and control: reliable consumption data and tracking indicators.
- Traceability: information that's verifiable and consistent.
- Governance: defined responsibilities and monitoring procedures.
- Continuous improvement: water management built into regular operations, not a one-off exercise.
Timeline, validity, and ongoing checks
- Resolution: the administration has a maximum of six months from the application date.
- Validity: three years from notification of the award.
- Annual declaration: during the first quarter of each calendar year, holders must confirm they still meet the conditions that led to the Seal.
- Ongoing verification: Spain's Secretariat of State for the Environment can check compliance at any point during the Seal's validity.
- Renewal: requested once the three years are up, and granted for another three-year term if requirements are maintained or improved.
Applications will soon open through the electronic office of Spain's Ministry for Ecological Transition (MITECO), where templates and an application guide will also be published.
Why it's worth preparing now
The Seal isn't a water use permit, and it isn't a one-time paperwork exercise: it's a public statement, subject to annual checks, that your organization measures, controls, and continuously improves its water management. If your company doesn't yet have consolidated consumption data by site or facility, that's the first obstacle you'll hit when preparing an application, well before the paperwork itself.
Manglai centralizes water consumption data by plant, applies international methodologies like WFN/ISO, and generates audit-ready reports, the same data foundation you'll need to prove transparency and tracking for the Seal. Take a look at Manglai's water footprint module.
