SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 8th May. (EUROPE PRESS) –
A meeting was held this Wednesday by the Monitoring Commission overseeing the sanitation and purification projects being carried out by Acuaes on Tenerife. The purpose of the meeting was to review the progress of the projects and the addendum to the agreement signed with Tenerife Council and the Tenerife Water Council on 8th July 2020, increasing the total investment to 233 million Euros.
Present at the meeting were María Rosa Cobo, the president of Acuaes; Blanca Pérez, Minister of Natural Environment, Sustainability, Security and Emergencies and vice president of the Tenerife Island Water Council; Javier Davara, manager of the Insular Water Council of Tenerife (CIATF); and Juan Carlos Pérez Frías, the insular director of the Treasury.
According to a statement from the Ministry for the Ecological Transition, the projects have reached 90 percent completion in the Western, Granadilla, and Valle de La Orotava systems, as confirmed during a site visit on 23rd April to the West and Los Letrados treatment plants.
Remaining tasks include finalizing electrical connections, awaiting procedures with the Industry Service of the Government of the Canary Islands and the distribution company, as well as obtaining the necessary discharge authorization from the Department of Ecological Transition and Energy.
In the Western system, in addition to the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), work is progressing on the San Juan wastewater treatment and pumping station (ETBAR) and four wastewater pumping stations (EBAR), as well as the rehabilitation of three other municipal stations.
Various delivery pipelines have been completed to transport water from Santiago del Teide to the ETBAR in San Juan, Guía de Isora, for further treatment.
Furthermore, the draft phase is underway for the connection project between Chío town centre and the general median collector, which will extend approximately six kilometers and finalise the Western sanitation system, contingent on municipal sanitation clearances in Chío.
In the Granadilla system, work on the Los Letrados treatment plant is done pending final electrical installations and discharge permits, similar to the Western WWTP.
Specifically, a 10-kilometer network of collectors has been established to link the median area with the Los Letrados WWTP.
Additionally, an 8.5-kilometer pipeline has been constructed connecting the coastal zones from Los Abrigos, La Tejita, and La Mareta to Ensenada Pelada. Wastewater is then elevated to the Los Letrados WWTP via a new ETBAR, including discharges from The Dock.
MONTAÑA REVERÓN WWTP
Progress is ongoing on the structures for the new Montaña Reverón WWTP in the Arona Este-San Miguel system, set to be operational by summer 2025.
Work has commenced in the San Miguel sanitation system at EBAR Tamaide, ETBAR las Chafiras, Barranco de Uchoba channeling, and the San Miguel collectors.
Challenges in the progress of the Arona-Este system collectors are noted due to the volume and hardness of the rock, impacting work pace. Development has initiated at ETBAR las Galletas II and Guaza, alongside optimisation work on mechanical and electrical equipment.
Final stages are reached for general sewers in the Orotava Valley sanitation, with ongoing construction of the Cuesta de la Villa EBAR building and La Montaña driving.
The commencement of the last La Montaña collector is forthcoming, post resolution of expropriation issues.
Progress continues on researching drainage wells for the Acentejo regional system, to confirm the selected treatment plant’s viability.
Concerning the addendum, at the request of Tenerife Council and CIATF, expansion of project scope has been deemed necessary during construction project drafting. This expansion aims to address non-compliance with European regulations on wastewater treatment and resource protection, resulting in increased investment due to project extensions and rising construction material costs. This increment necessitates the signing of an addendum to the current agreement.
