The Government of the Canary Islands has also aimed to enhance sanitation in Punta Brava, located in Puerto de la Cruz. To achieve this goal, it will allocate €300,000 to support some of the works necessary for connecting residents to the network and improving the pipeline systems.
This funding is in addition to the €1 million contributed by the Tenerife Cabildo for the same purpose, following recent analyses which indicated, according to the island administration, that the wastewater discharges in Playa Jardín are not directly linked to the underwater outfall, but rather to the lack of connecting some 450 self-built homes in this coastal region to the sewage network.
This information was shared yesterday during a meeting focused on coordinating and analysing actions in Playa Jardín, in line with the roadmap established since July by the three administrations to address the issue of pathogenic agents in the waters that led to its closure.
The meeting included the general director of Ecological Transition and the Fight Against Climate Change, Ángel Montañés; technical staff from the general directorate of Public Health; the Minister for Natural Environment, Sustainability, Security and Emergencies of the Cabildo, Blanca Pérez; the Portuense councillor for Sustainable City, David Hernández; the manager of the Tenerife Island Water Council (CIATF), Javier Davara, along with technicians from the respective administrations.
The coordination group has agreed to prioritise and support the city council in implementing sanitation measures in this area. Furthermore, the ongoing works initiated by the CIATF at the outfall will proceed, efforts will be made to acquire authorisations for the expansion and enhancement of the La Orotava Valley treatment facility (which is situated in Punta Brava), as well as for the construction of a new outfall. The “intensive” analytical campaign will persist, and advancements will be made in planning the comprehensive improvement of local sanitation.
Nonetheless, the technical representatives from Public Health of the Government of the Canary Islands confirmed that values are still being documented which prevent the use of this section of the Portuense coast, which has been closed to bathing for a duration of three months.
