On Tuesday, the Tenerife Cabildo announced that water prices for the island’s farming sector will remain unchanged, with a 10% increase in supply through the activation of a water emergency. According to the island’s governing body, this measure will facilitate the development of crucial projects such as desalination plants to support the primary sector.
This initiative will result in the daily production of over 27,000 cubic meters of water, meeting a 10% rise in agricultural water demand and a 5% surge in overall water consumption on the island.
The Cabildo specified that the water emergency declaration for Tenerife will serve as the catalyst for executing 75 measures aimed at mitigating the impact of warm thermal anomalies and the persistent rainfall deficit. The primary objective is to swiftly ensure water supply to the farming sector, most affected by a prolonged drought in the central regions.
Alongside enhancing infrastructure to secure water supply to both the farming sector and the populace, the island’s governing body has outlined collaborative actions with municipalities, including the upgrade of municipal supply networks to curtail losses.
Furthermore, in compliance with the Water Framework Directive, the Cabildo is mandated to revise water tariffs, intending to implement varied rate sections that reward resource efficiency. Notably, the Cabildo will sustain subsidies for water provided by the public entity Balsas de Tenerife (Balten) to ensure the continuity of water supply to the island’s farming sector.
The water declaration received approval from the Plenary Council, following a motion passed on March 1 urging the Insular Water Council (CIATF), under the domain of Natural Environment, Sustainability, and Emergency Management, to proceed with the process. Four days later, the Board unanimously validated it.
The document garnered 16 objections related to various aspects such as deadline extensions, water losses, reactivation of galleries and pumps, irrigation efficiency measures, and sewage network connections, among others.
