One month after signing the agreement that allows the start-up of the first phase of the district wastewater treatment system of the lower island, the Government of Silence has defended this agreement, harshly criticized by the Los Silos Isla Baja Platform, for being the only short-term solution to end the illegal dumping of wastewater into the sea, that have been maintained since October 2017. While his opponents emphasize that Garachico’s sewage will be channeled to the submarine outfall off the coast of The Silos, the mayor, Macarena Fuentes (CC), and the first deputy mayor, Raquel González (PP), they respond that this firm will allow to receive an investment of about 696,000 euros to repair the Wastewater Treatment Station of Los Silos and the outfall and put an end to the illegal discharges of untreated sewage, which have lasted more than four years.
Through a 14-minute video posted on the social network Facebook, Fuentes and González defend the reasons for approving on December 3, in the Local Government Board, this agreement that involves the Insular Council of Waters of Tenerife (Ciatf) already the municipalities of Garachico and Los Silos. After acknowledging that the public explanations should have been offered before, González considers it clear that “it was not approved either at night or with treachery because we have been meeting and negotiating with groups, the Ciatf and the opposition for more than a year.”
The Government of Silence (CC-PP) assures that its decision “is supported by technical and legal reports”, and denies that the people have been betrayed with this agreement, as it will allow ending a serious environmental and legal problem and, furthermore, “It is not incompatible with the future implementation of natural purification”.
The regional emissary continues to belong to the Ciatf, but its maintenance, conservation and exploitation were ceded to the Los Silos City Council since 2006. The municipality has not fulfilled its maintenance obligations, so “currently the regional submarine outfall is in a precarious state, according to technical reports”, as well as the Wastewater Treatment Station on the Silense coast, which “is in poor condition and urgently needs remodeling to ensure its proper functioning”, as recognized by the first deputy mayor. They also lack administrative authorization to dump into the sea since October 2017.
“We cannot consider ourselves environmentalists only for one area”
Rachel Gonzalez explains that this agreement, rejected by Los Silos-Isla Baja Platform, will be used to receive almost 700,000 euros to repair the Los Silos Wastewater Treatment Station and the regional submarine outfall; guarantee that the wastewater from the Silense part of La Caleta de Interián is properly treated at the Garachico station, to be subsequently evacuated by the emissary; obtain administrative authorization to dispose of into the sea legally; avoid sanctions and incur an environmental crime, and ensure that the waters of Los Silos (and Garachico) are discharged into the sea «properly treated, according to the directives of the European Union».
The Government of Silence insists that it is a temporary agreement, with a duration of four years, extendable for another four, and provisional, “because it is a short-term solution that arises while defining the definitive solution for the municipality, once made studies that determine whether a natural treatment plant is viable or not».
“Natural or extensive purification is now not a real alternative for Los Silos”
Given the criticism of the citizen platform, Rachel Gonzalez He responds that «it is not that we are going to pour now, it is that it is already pouring badly. A year ago, when trading, it was pouring badly, and it has been pouring badly for many years. We cannot consider ourselves environmentalists only for one area. You have to think globally and with the responsibility of a public administration.
The mayor of Los Silos, Macarena Fuentes (CC)He adds that the agreement is “the only alternative now” and that “it should be understood as an instrument that allows us to solve illegal dumping into the sea in the short term. Not signing this agreement would be an act of irresponsibility on the part of the Government of Los Silos ”. One of the keys, in his opinion, is that the approval of the agreement “It is not incompatible with the implantation of a natural purification”.
Both González and Fuentes maintain that currently There are no feasibility studies, or specific technical projects that allow knowing aspects such as “the surface that this natural purification would occupy, the cost of implementation and maintenance or the quality of the water reclaimed there. The only thing that exists is a deep technical debate regarding its implementation. This agreement gives Los Silos City Council time to advance in these studies without continuing with the illegal dumping of untreated wastewater into the sea.
The mayor emphasizes that her government also defends natural purification, as demonstrated by the allegations to the third cycle of the Tenerife Hydrological Plan 2021-2027, “Where we have demanded that the Ciatf include the nuclei of Tierra del Trigo and Erjos as prone areas to implement extensive or natural purification, if their viability is demonstrated.”
For Macarena Fuentes, the key is that “natural or extensive purification is now not a real alternative for Los Silos or a short-term solution. It does not even appear in the Hydrological Plan of Tenerife. With the signing of this agreement, a transitory solution to the discharge of wastewater into the sea is achieved while working on the definitive alternative that defines the most viable and appropriate type of purification for The Silos, whose local government is committed to a treatment with zero discharges to the sea, zero environmental impact and the lowest possible energy costs. That is our goal.
Chronology
2004
The Government of the Canary Islands authorizes the Los Silos City Council to discharge wastewater through the underwater outlet, located in the area of Charco de la Araña.
2006
The Insular Council of Waters of Tenerife cedes the use of the emissary to the Silense Consistory, which since then has been obliged to its maintenance and conservation.
2017
As of October 27, 2017, the Los Silos City Council lacks authorization to dump its wastewater into the sea through the outfall.
2019
A sanctioning process is initiated against the Los Silos City Council for spillage into the sea. To obtain administrative authorization again, he is obliged to repair the treatment plant and the emissary.
2020
The Cabildo, through the Ciatf, proposes the signing of a three-party agreement to repair the outfall and the Los Silos treatment plant and transfer the wastewater from Garachico there, through a work that had cost one million euros.
2021
On December 3, the Los Silos Governing Board approves the agreement with the Ciatf and the Garachico City Council.
