SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 17 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Canary Islands Government intends to commence the revision of hydrological planning for the cycle 2028-2033 this year, aiming to pre-empt the deadlines established in European regulations and avoid the almost three-year delay experienced in the approval of the previous plan for 2022-2027.
This announcement was made by the Minister of Territorial Policy, Territorial Cohesion and Water, Manuel Miranda, during a session of the Permanent Water Commission, which convened the seven island councils this morning at the Cabildo de Tenerife.
The proposal formulated by the General Directorate of Water includes technical assistance from the public entity Tragsatec. This assistance will be offered to the seven island councils of the Canary Islands for the preparation and management of all necessary documentation, including a review of data and reports, thereby facilitating processing and ensuring the progress of the work does not neglect any demarcation.
“The water issue in the Canary Islands is not solely a matter of funding, but equally of planning. Although we are a single river basin, we possess seven unique island demarcations, each with its distinct challenges and issues. The reality is that during the previous legislature, not a single one of the seven hydrological plans from the third cycle 2022-2027 was approved before the 31st of December 2021, as stipulated by regulations,” Manuel Miranda explained.
The first of the approved plans was for El Hierro, in May 2023, followed by La Gomera in June of the same year. “When the current regional Government took office, five island plans remained to be approved, all of which have been updated and processed in record time, thanks to the drive and coordination from the councils of Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura,” stated Miranda, with only La Palma’s plan awaiting approval, anticipated for December.
“The island councils will receive complete technical and legal support from the Canary Islands Government to maintain up-to-date water planning across the islands, as we recognise this as the only viable approach to address drought cycles, ensure supply, set priorities, and advocate for a unified strategy to secure funding from both state and European sources,” Manuel Miranda asserted.
Meanwhile, Rosa Dávila, president of the Cabildo de Tenerife and host of the meeting, praised and supported the initiative to expedite the upcoming hydrological planning cycle, asserting that water management “is one of the most pressing challenges we face, and the cooperation among all administrations is crucial.”
Dávila noted that “courageous” initiatives have been implemented in Tenerife, including the declaration of a water emergency and the execution of 75 projects. She concluded by emphasising the necessity for increased financial commitment from the State Government.
APPROVAL PROCESS.
Hydrological plans, which are accompanied by a flood risk management strategy, are designed to assess the conditions of water bodies (both groundwater and coastal) and establish measures to secure supply for the population, primary sector, and various socio-economic activities. Regarding flood risks, the objectives are to refresh the analysis of these risks (either inland or coastal) and propose corrective measures.
Throughout the process initiated this morning, Tragsatec will offer, as part of the Government of the Canary Islands’ own resources, technical assistance and support to the island councils. The documents will be processed, approved, and published in stages, referencing a timeline and general outline, a plan of actions to be undertaken, a summary of significant issues, or risk maps.
According to the proposed timeline, initial outlines will be developed before the end of 2024 to indicate the measures to be incorporated into the future plan, a schedule for processing, and the commencement of public consultation on the initial documents. The following year will see the initiation of environmental procedures alongside the continuation of the preparation of proposed measures, among other tasks. By 2026, the preparation of both plans (hydrological and risk) is scheduled, which will be publicly exhibited until early 2027, culminating in their processing and final approval.
During the course of the process, Tragsatec will compile the necessary documentation and conduct regular meetings with the various councils to supervise the administrative proceedings required within the island councils, as they are accountable for the seven hydrographic demarcations of the Canary Islands.
The delays cited by the current Government of the Canary Islands have prompted the European Commission to initiate a file in 2022. This culminated in May 2024 with a claim being filed before the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), to which the State Attorney’s Office responded in June.
A response from the CJEU is anticipated in the coming days “with the hope that the efforts of this Government and the island councils will be acknowledged, and that the case will not result in further sanctions for the Canary Islands in the months ahead,” Miranda indicated.
In addition to coordinating the fourth planning cycle, the meeting this morning also reviewed the status of investments in water infrastructure included in the third cycle (2021-2027). A report on these investments must be submitted to the European Commission by the end of this year.
The leaders of the island councils and the Canary Islands Government also evaluated the current conditions of each island with regard to this matter and the strategies planned to address potential water emergencies in the future. The status of the infringement procedures initiated by the European Commission and compliance with other obligations were also topics of discussion during this morning’s meeting.
