The town of Fasnia has taken the lead in Tenerife by implementing measures to curb water consumption due to the severe drought affecting the island. A decree issued by Mayor Luis Javier González Delgado prohibits the use of potable water for irrigation, filling pools, ponds, reservoirs, or tanks, cleaning facades, washing vehicles (except for gas stations), and using showers on the municipality’s beaches.
Additionally, the City Council has ordered the halt of new registrations for water meters at the Bonifacio Manuel Díaz Díaz reservoir, owned by the town, which will now open for irrigation water supply only once a week: Fridays, from seven in the morning until four in the afternoon. “These measures are taken by the government group from a standpoint of responsibility; it’s not about good or bad management but about addressing the worsening anomalous meteorological conditions,” the mayor informed DIARIO DE AVISOS, highlighting the high level of “awareness and responsibility” among residents who understand these restrictions aimed at ensuring drinking water supply. The mayor pointed out that last summer, water supply from the reservoir was limited from Thursday to Sunday, and due to a major forest fire that affected several municipalities, it was further reduced to Fridays and Saturdays.
The City Council emphasises that, like in other municipalities on the island, the scarcity of water resources has worsened due to adverse weather conditions persisting in the archipelago for years, exacerbated by an unusually dry autumn and winter, leading to increased water consumption for both drinking and irrigation purposes by citizens and reduced replenishment possibilities.
IMPLEMENTING DRASTIC MEASURES
In light of this situation, the City Council urges residents to adopt extreme water-saving measures to “promote responsible and efficient consumption, and, most importantly, ensure water supply for human use.” The decree signed by the mayor also mentions that following a recent meeting between the Tenerife Cabildo and agricultural sector representatives, an “extreme drought-induced water emergency” will be declared on the island, with the most critical period expected next summer if not remedied by a series of storms, which currently seems unlikely just three weeks before the end of astronomical winter.
It is important to note that recent data from the Cabildo indicates a concerning state of reservoirs with only 39% water stored, whereas it is typically above 70% at this time of year. The motion to declare a water emergency by the Cabildo is supported by technical information pointing out the impacts of warm thermal anomalies and rainfall deficits in recent years, alongside conclusions from a Balten report on the current situation, highlighting an “extreme and enduring drought in the midlands of Tenerife.”
