The desalination plant in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, located in Cueva Bermeja and operational since 2001, currently generates 28,800 cubic meters of water per day, covering 62% of the water used in households in the capital. Given the water crisis caused by climate change that the island is facing, the City Council and Emmasa, a company owned by the Sacyr group, are enhancing this facility. The improvements already underway will boost water production to nearly 31,000 cubic meters per day. Furthermore, a new project aimed at expanding and renovating the plant is in the pipeline and is set to increase the output to 48,000 cubic meters per day by the end of 2026.
These plans were unveiled by the Public Services Councillor, Carlos Tarife, who announced, “The project for expanding the desalination plant in the capital will be delivered by 31st August. These enhancements will ensure a production capacity of up to 48,000 cubic meters of desalinated water, complementing the efforts in the Southwest district.”
Tarife also mentioned that the objective for this district is to provide desalinated water to over 50,000 residents by the conclusion of 2025, offering a sustainable solution to wastewater management. This initiative involves constructing wastewater pumping stations in Añaza, Acorán, and Los Alisios, along with all the essential infrastructure to transfer the sewage to the Buenos Aires Wastewater Treatment Plant. The project demands an investment of 7.17 million euros.
Eliminating discharge
The projects outlined in the Zero Discharge Plan of the municipality incorporate actions in the Southwest district and areas like Anaga, including San Andrés and El Suculum, where various activities are ongoing in Tachero, Añaza, Acorán, Igueste de San Andrés, and San Andrés-María Jiménez, alongside the expansion of the Buenos Aires Wastewater Treatment Plant.
This strategy bolsters the array of measures to tackle the water crisis on the island, aiming to collect wastewater and treat it for reuse in irrigation in agricultural zones, as well as in parks and gardens throughout the municipality.
In this context, Tarife highlighted that recently the council introduced a protocol to encourage responsible water consumption. Based on the available storage capacity in tanks, actions will be determined by a colour-coded system resembling a traffic light, with green indicating no water use restrictions, and orange and red signaling prohibitions.
“This will be the final summer facing water scarcity issues, as desalinated water will be accessible in the last district lacking it next year,” he emphasised.
