The Insular Water Council (CIATF), an organisation linked to the Cabildo de Tenerife, is set to invite tenders for the rehabilitation of the submarine emissary at Valle de La Orotava, situated in Punta Brava, through an urgent procedure next week, following the failure of the contest on Monday of the previous week.
If this occurs, as clarified by the insular corporation in a statement yesterday, offers could be submitted throughout May for subsequent awarding. The project entails an investment of 2.7 million euros, with a duration of 16 months and is crucial to resolving the discharge issue that has led to the beach at Garden being declared unsafe for swimming since July 2024.
The island administration explains that the existing regulations concerning public sector contracting require bidders to present certifications and accreditations to qualify for such demanding works, resulting in some interested firms being unable to comply and, as a result, not participating. In situations where the tender has been left deserted, the regulations permit greater flexibility in technical requirements, while still ensuring the contractors’ capability to guarantee the successful completion of the project.
Consequently, the prerequisites have been amended with the aim of offering more opportunities for companies to submit proposals and promptly undertake the work.
Nevertheless, the spokesperson for the Socialist Group, Aarón Afonso, contends that the tender was deserted “due to a mistake in the classification requirements needed by bidding firms” and calls for the Government Group (CC-PP) to publicly clarify the situation.
The emissary’s works are part of the initiatives aimed at enhancing water treatment, which also include the establishment of a new wastewater treatment facility in the region of Valle de La Orotava (Phase I), intended to serve 102,000 residents from La Orotava, Puerto de la Cruz, Los Realejos, and Santa Úrsula.
This initiative involves replacing a 240-metre stretch of the submarine emissary, currently made of fiberglass-reinforced polyester and where the rupture exists, with a new structure constructed from high-density polyethylene, thereby improving the current discharge situation.
Additionally, the project includes the replacement of covers in the emissary section, where prefabricated blocks that serve as driving anchors have been lost, along with the anchoring of new ballast blocks for the diffusers area.
The PSOE demands clarification following the “failure” of the tender
The spokesman for the socialist group, Aaron Afonso, asserts that “this failure in the tender illustrates a troubling lack of diligence in an urgent situation for the north of the island and criticises that” the Cabildo has concealed this information for several days.”
The spokesman has raised concerns about the imminent tender, as announced by the Insular Government (CC-PP), questioning the absence of a visible file or official timelines and stating that it relies solely on verbal assurances, leading to doubts about whether it is “a genuine announcement or simply a tactic to buy time.” He furthermore cautions against the decision not to revise the project costs, which date back to 2022, as this could jeopardise the process’s success if it fails to align with the current market conditions.
In Afonso’s view, the tender process has occurred quickly and without due diligence, likely in response to the mass demonstration held on March 23 regarding the circumstances at Playa Jardín.
