Lope Afonso dismisses price hikes and ensures farmers will have priority water access
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 12th June. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Cabildo of Tenerife has scheduled the first meeting of the Drought Table for next Tuesday at 4:30 p.m., a collaborative entity under the Insular Water Council and authorised by the Declaration of the Water Emergency (DEH), to start proposing strategies to tackle a challenging summer.
This was announced by the island president, Rosa Dávila, during a press conference on Wednesday to outline the decisions of the Government Council, highlighting that the council is taking a “forward step” following the “bold” move of declaring the emergency.
The Drought Table includes representatives from local councils, consortiums, public entities, service management, water use concessionaries or owners, agricultural groups, business and labour organisations, the Canary Islands Government, and the Cabildo of Tenerife.
Additionally, there is a representative from the farmers for each of the following hydraulic regions: Cañadas del Teide, Northwest, La Orotava Valley, Northeast, Anaga, Metropolitan Area, Valle de Güímar, Southeast, and Southwest, along with the managers of the public company Balsas de Tenerife (Balten) and the Tenerife Island Water Council.
Furthermore, regular monthly meetings will be conducted throughout the water emergency declaration period, with the possibility of holding emergency meetings if urgently required and approved by the majority of the board.
Technical information for discussion at the Drought Table will be provided by the technical services of the Tenerife Island Water Council, represented by the organisation’s manager, who may be technically assisted, with a voice but no vote, by relevant individuals for detailed or specialised measures or information.
In response to criticism from the island’s agricultural associations, it was stated that the aim of the table is to “bring together all perspectives”, emphasising that the primary sector has been actively involved in all meetings related to the emergency declaration.
ENHANCING WATER AVAILABILITY
In this context, the focus is on “increasing available funds” in the agricultural sector “on an urgent basis,” expressing regret that certain actions were not undertaken in the previous administration, lacking both “diligence” and “political will.”
Deputy President and Minister of Tourism, Lope Afonso, ruled out any price surge for farmers, stating that only a “revision” of rates will be conducted to align with EU regulations. “You can be assured of this,” he assured.
Afonso also affirmed the priority allocation of water for agriculture – following human consumption – as mandated by water laws, supporting all measures, alongside municipal councils, to address issues relating to water network losses.
In fact, it is highlighted as one of the 75 measures outlined in the water emergency declaration.
