The Tenerife Island Council plans to set up five portable water treatment facilities in the regions of Fonsalía (Guía de Isora), Mesa del Mar (Tacoronte), Güímar Valley, La Orotava Valley, and Granadilla to address the water scarcity plaguing the primary sector.
Island president, Rosa Dávila, revealed this information to the press ahead of the Tenerife Water Island Council’s General Meeting, where the recently approved water emergency declaration will be discussed.
Dávila specified that some of these desalination plants are expected to arrive on the island by April and emphasised that the emergency declaration allows for expedited timelines to hasten their installation and prompt commencement of operations.
Critical Times Ahead in Summer
She praised the Cabildo’s bold decision in anticipation of a potentially “critical” summer for the agriculture sector, a vital industry supporting around 10,000 direct jobs on the island, with crops that must be safeguarded.
Furthermore, she announced that the Government Council will approve a budget allocation of 20 million euros for these investments, which also cover a desalination facility to distribute the treated water to high and mid-elevation areas.
“We cannot turn a blind eye, especially after witnessing over 7,000 hectares of agricultural land lost in Tenerife over almost a decade,” she remarked.
Once the Council validates the emergency decree, a five-day period will open for objections, and upon conclusion, it will be enforced, enabling, among other things, the immediate installation of desalination plants – exempt from environmental clearance.
Sharing Responsibility with Tourism Sector
Dávila highlighted that the current “priority” is to secure water supply for agriculture and human consumption during the summer. While acknowledging the responsible actions of two municipalities – Fasnia and Arico – in limiting water usage, she does not see a need to extend this restriction to the entire island.
She clarified that these restrictions do not affect potable water consumption but instead focus on activities like “non-essential washing,” a measure based on the municipal water reserves’ levels, which appears rational.
The president also stressed that the tourism sector must play a role in alleviating the island’s water situation, hinting at forthcoming dialogues with industry players who possess desalination facilities and can contribute water to the agricultural sector.
“We are aware that agriculture takes precedence, and our aim is to increase the water supply,” she stated concerning potential contributions from tourism and industrial sectors.
