The Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council has announced that the Mixed Water Company of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Emmasa) has set up two distribution points for drinking water for residents in the neighbourhoods of La Gallega, Llano del Moro, and El Sobradillo while they monitor the decreased high fluoride levels found in water originating from the northern part of the Island.
Public Health advises against using tap water in these areas if there are children under eight years of age living in the household. Consequently, the company has established supply points at the warehouses located on Bicácaro Street (La Gallega) and on Baile del Vivo Street (El Sobradillo), where affected residents can go from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m..
The Mayor of Santa Cruz, José Manuel Bermúdez, asserts that “the City Council is focused on resolving this issue that impacts numerous residents in the Southwest district” and adds that “any enhancements in the quality and efficiency of the service will greatly benefit so many households that currently find their supply affected by the different water channels in the northern part of the island.”
The Councillor for Public Services, Carlos Tarife, reminds us that this temporary restriction, following recommendations from the General Directorate of Public Health of the Government of the Canary Islands, comes after Emmasa’s routine analyses detected fluoride levels of 1.7 and 2.1 milligrams per litre of water, which exceed the recommended limit of 1.5 mg/l. “High levels of this substance during childhood can influence the sensitivity and fragility of children’s teeth, although adults and pets do not experience negative effects. For this reason, we have implemented this precautionary action,” he explains.
The Mayor of the Southwest, Javier Rivero, emphasises that “we are striving to resolve this issue promptly through the ongoing works in the district, which will enable us to reduce our reliance on water sourced from the north of the island.”
The reason for the elevated fluoride levels is directly linked to the ongoing drought affecting the island. Specifically, this situation has arisen from decreased supply flows through the Araya and Río Portezuelo canals, alongside the declining quality of water provided by the Los Dornajos-Baldíos Transfer Canal, exacerbated by the influx of water from the Vergara Gallery, which contains high fluoride content.
Carlos Tarife further elaborates that “the City Council will continue to make progress on the Ofra-El Chorrillo supply channel project, which is a vital initiative that will offer a lasting solution to this dilemma.” “Once these works are completed, water produced by the desalination plant will be directed to the southwest area of Santa Cruz, eliminating the necessity to consume water from external sources, such as the current reliance on the Los Dornajos-Baldíos Transfer Canal,” he concludes.
Individuals impacted can report any issues to Emmasa customer service by calling 900 84 84 83 or 922 23 01 24.
