The situation faced by farmers in La Guancha is deemed as “extremely serious and concerning”, with a possibility of turning “critical” in the upcoming months, according to the mayor, Antonio Hernández. He admitted that in the eight years of leading the City Council, he had never encountered such a severe water shortage.
The issue in the municipality and the region is two-fold: alongside the drought resulting from insufficient rainfall and low reservoir levels, there is also the problem of poor water quality supplied by Balsas de Tenerife (Balten). This water has a high salinity level, making it unsuitable for irrigation and causing harm to certain crops like avocados.
Consequently, “many farmers are using drinking water due to the lack of irrigation water, which could directly impact the municipal water supply.” The mayor expressed concerns over the ability to sustain this shortage.
Furthermore, the councilor noted that municipal water consumption has been higher than normal, particularly in the coastal region, leading to a gradual decrease in water reserves. To address this, the City Council initiated a public awareness campaign to encourage citizens to help reverse this trend. Failure to do so may result in ceasing desalination operations and implementing restrictions on the population. Hernández stressed the urgency of resolving water scarcity, asserting that failure to do so could have dire consequences in the latter part of the year.
The president highlighted the challenges faced by farmers, citing losses in various crops including potatoes, fruit trees, bananas, and avocados. He underlined the immediate need for water supply and emphasized the importance of long-term planning to prevent a recurrence of the current crisis.
“I urge the Tenerife and Balten Island Water Council to take action to improve water quality and address the existing challenges through technical solutions such as modular desalination plants, despite the associated costs and maintenance requirements,” Hernández added.
Expressing his concerns, Hernández stated that there has been no indication of interventions in the northwest region, despite its more severe situation compared to other parts of the island. He called for long-term strategies to enhance water quality, stressing the disparities in pricing faced by farmers in different areas.
Highlighting the risks posed by prolonged water scarcity, Hernández expressed his worries about potential forest fires in the coming months due to low rainfall and humidity levels. He warned that without adequate water in galleries and wells, there might be a need to increase seawater desalination volumes.
