The Council of Water of Tenerife Island (Ciatf), an independent entity linked to the Cabildo, has received a total of 14 objections from organizations, authorities, and individuals regarding the declaration of a water crisis, which will undergo analysis and resolution in the upcoming days.
Following this process, the final approval of a specific timeframe will be carried out, which will be valid for six months, potentially extendable for another six months, as stipulated by regulations, as confirmed by the Island Corporation yesterday.
On the 8th, the BOC published the announcement from Ciatf outlining the process for declaring a water crisis on the Island for public information, along with a technical report consisting of 75 measures aimed at ensuring the sustainability of agricultural production and fully maintaining sanitary and domestic uses. This initiated a period of 5 working days for objections to be raised, which concluded with the submission of these fourteen objections.
The Minister of Natural Environment, Sustainability and Security, Blanca Pérez, highlighted yesterday that the declaration involves an administrative process with specific deadlines to be adhered to.
“The regulations are clear, and despite attempts to distort the message, adherence to legal procedures and timelines is the only reality. I want to express my gratitude to all the employees of the Council of Water of Tenerife Island for their tireless work since the Cabildo plenary session approved the initiation of the water crisis declaration process,” he emphasized on this matter yesterday.
“The initial step we took was to request all municipalities and organizations to provide insight into their current situation. Additionally, we engaged with various concessionaires and owners of desalination plants to have them outline any potential surpluses. Following this groundwork, the document was prepared, encompassing 75 measures tailored to varying requirements,” Pérez explained regarding the process.
The councillor further stated that “the regulations mandate the publication of the declaration in the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands and the establishment of a timeframe for objections,” with a total of fourteen received. “There are six objections from authorities and public entities, six from organizations and groups, and two from individuals. Once received, they will be assessed and responded to. If no further objections necessitate reopening the period, the final declaration of the water crisis will be issued, valid for six months,” she stated.
75 strategies
The technical report compiled by Ciatf features a total of 75 strategies, with 15 being overarching measures for the entire Island and the remaining 60 distributed across hydrographic demarcations: Isla Baja, Ycoden, Valle de la Orotava, Acentejo, Northeast and Metropolitan Zone, Güímar Valley, Abona, Vilaflor de Chasna, and Oeste.
Among the general initiatives, all municipal councils are tasked with “implementing water consumption management measures aimed at aligning usage with water availability,” while also suggesting “variable pricing for networked tourist establishments, including holiday homes,” and urging those managing direct supply services “to enact measures for reducing losses,” among other proposed actions.
