The mayors and council members of the seven municipalities in the Northeast region are expressing pressing concerns following a meeting in La Guancha. They have unanimously agreed on the necessity of urging the Cabildo of Tenerife to implement urgent policies to tackle the issue of water scarcity.
The gathering, initiated by La Guancha’s mayor, Antonio Hernández, saw the participation of leaders from Icod de los Vinos, represented by Javier Sierra; Garachico, by Heriberto González, and Buenavista del Norte, by Eva García. Additionally, council members from Agua de Los Silos, Adán López; San Juan de la Rambla, Yanira Mesa; and El Tanque, David Gorrín, were present. Their consensus lies in the urgent need for the insular Corporation to execute robust and efficient measures to alleviate the ongoing water crisis. Particularly, they emphasised the pressing necessity to address the production of drinking water for agricultural irrigation.
Local councils are actively working towards resolving the situation, which demands infrastructural developments from higher authorities. Buenavista, for example, is focusing on repairing system ruptures and enhancing network capabilities. Besides, a public awareness campaign mirroring La Guancha’s efforts will soon be introduced.
The diminishing levels in tanks pose a grave concern, potentially leading to service disruptions and imposing additional restrictions on the population. Discussions also revolve around the insufficiency of water for agricultural purposes and the substandard quality of the available water, referred to as “the worst on the entire Island” due to its elevated salinity levels. To address this, they are committed to investing substantially in enhancing the network efficiencies across the seven localities. Additionally, they are urging the Cabildo to fortify sanitation protocols in the region, focusing on water regeneration and incorporation into the irrigation systems, particularly along the coasts of Buenavista del Norte, Los Silos, and Garachico.
The forthcoming agenda includes a meeting with the Cabildo and Balten to pinpoint solutions tailored to each reality, accompanied by feasible budget allocations and projects ensuring sustainable water management in the region.
