Reducing the current consumption of 200 litres of water per person per day in Tenerife by a third to reach 150, one third less, is a medium-term goal recently announced by the Minister of Environmental Affairs of the Council, Blanca Pérez. This complements the 75 measures included in the declaration of the water emergency on the island, which is about to be formalised with the study and response to the 14 allegations made against the technical document of the Water Insular Council.
The law prioritises water supply to the population and no severe restrictions are foreseen, but summer will be tough, according to all forecasts, and not only for the midlands. Therefore, a fundamental change of habits is necessary to encourage following simple measures to use less of a finite resource.
[–>Water is a scarce resource in Canary Islands due to its unique climatic characteristics and limited resources. Nationally, indicators show a reduction in household water consumption in recent years with an average of 160 litres per person.
According to the WHO, the recommended amount is about 100 litres. In Tenerife, it reaches the mentioned 200. Minister Pérez explains that the main goal in the medium term is to “raise awareness among the population to reduce consumption by a quarter and reach 150”. She emphasises: “Survival is also possible with 150 litres and even less, if certain measures are taken”. The Water Insular Council proposes that residents on the island must get involved and avoid waste because the availability of water is not infinite, especially now. Long-term work remains on municipal networks to tackle the significant problem of leaks in the system, which can reach 60% in some municipalities.
Implementing simple measures and a bit of common sense would reduce water consumption with little effort, and the impact on the bill is also significant. Both the Government of the Canary Islands and the Water Insular Council of Tenerife provide advice in this regard.
But first, it is worth detailing where water is used within the home. 34% corresponds to showers, while flushing the toilet accounts for 21%. The use of the sink reaches 18%, the washing machine accounts for 10%, and the dishwasher for 5%. The remaining water in the kitchen represents 5%, and other expenses, such as drinking, make up 8% of the total.
There are four basic recommendations from the authorities. Adopting habits of lower consumption, reusing water, installing saving mechanisms and systems, and finally, being very careful with what is poured down the household drains.
General Measures
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To begin with, slightly closing the household stopcock saves a large amount of water daily without any noticeable difference in flow. Also, repairing dripping taps and showers, or replacing them with so-called single-lever systems, saves an average of 170 litres per month. Finally, installing specific devices on taps and showers reduces consumption by almost 50%.
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In the kitchen, it is advised to always use the washing machine and dishwasher with a full load and the appropriate programme. Additionally, handwashing consumes 40% more. The recommendation is to soak the dishes in water for a few minutes and use that water to lather.
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When it comes to the bathroom, using a glass to brush your teeth or filling the sink moderately for face washing, hand washing, or shaving is recommended. Never leave the tap open as about 12 litres are lost per minute. Do not use the toilet as a wastebasket (saving 6 to 12 litres each time) and install a dual flush cistern (50% less water). A shower is preferable to a bath, and turning off the tap while soaping (average saving of 150 litres).
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For gardens and plants, watering in the evening or morning (less water loss through evaporation); installing automatic irrigation systems, drip or sprinkler; selecting plants that suit the garden’s microclimate, preferably indigenous ones, as only a small amount of water will be needed in the warm months; grouping plants according to their water consumption to facilitate the irrigation system’s efficiency; using ground-covering plants instead of grass and installing a recycled water system for fountains and ponds.
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La Guancha became the first municipality in Tenerife at the end of last April to adopt drastic measures due to the drought, which prompted the Council to declare a water emergency on the island. It restricts the use of public water for human consumption, both for drinking and for cooking and preparing food, due to water scarcity and also problems in the municipal supply network. In other words, residents are not allowed to use tap water for drinking or cooking until further notice, affecting 5,500 inhabitants.
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It is the fourth municipality in Tenerife to take action due to water shortages, following Fasnia, Arico, and Icod de los Vinos. La Guancha has gone further by banning the public tap water service. In the southern towns of Fasnia and Arico, the restrictions, implemented between February and March, prohibit residents from using drinking water for irrigation or filling pools, ponds, tanks, and containers.
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Groundwater (wells and galleries) continues to provide the largest flow, 120 cubic hectometres out of the total production of 198. The demand is very similar (197.2). According to the water balance, the tourism sector consumes about 21 hectometres per year, which is approximately 10% of the island’s total, well below urban usage, 71, representing 35%, and agricultural use, 87, around 45% of the total.
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Water in Tenerife
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Groundwater (wells and galleries) continues to provide the largest flow, 120 cubic hectometres out of the total production of 198. The demand is very similar (197.2). According to the water balance, the tourism sector consumes about 21 hectometres per year, which is approximately 10% of the island’s total, well below urban usage, 71, representing 35%, and agricultural use, 87, around 45% of the total.
