The Stop Discharge Platform has condemned the direct release of sewage into the waters off Punta Brava, in Puerto de la Cruz. This incident occurred over the past two days whilst maintenance was being performed on the underwater outfall. “They shut the valve of the outfall because they are repairing a fissure; the sewage is directed to the treatment facility, and due to this infrastructure being overloaded, it is discharged straight into the ocean. The outfall occurs at a thousand metres away, out of sight, but the wastewater treatment facility discharges it directly,” states its president, Tania Hernández.
“This has always been the case, but today (yesterday) they are doing it during daylight hours because they have closed the key to the emissary. Yesterday a boat accompanied by divers reported that as soon as conditions permitted, they would deploy a camera through the outfall to complete the sealing of the break,” Hernández asserts.
The Platform holds the Tenerife Island Water Council (CIATF) accountable. “They claim that the waters are fit for bathing and that they are treated, but that is not true,” asserts the president.
In response, the CIATF clarifies that the water discharged during the repair works on the underwater outfall, conducted on October 24 and 25, is not sewage but purified wastewater, indicating that it is “water that has undergone thorough treatment.” This has been performed at the Regional Treatment Plant of the La Orotava Valley to remove pollutants and ensure its environmental safety,” they clarify. The current phase of work on the outfall necessitated the temporary cessation of the usual discharge through the underwater infrastructure in Punta Brava, redirecting the purified waters via a relief system into the hillside, downstream of Camino Burgado (TF-316), at the Regional Treatment Plant, approximately located at coordinates X:346.234; Y:3,143,371.
Meanwhile, the insular Minister of the Environment, Blanca Pérez, underscores the Cabildo’s commitment to resolving the outfall issues swiftly. “We are diligently working to eliminate any leaks affecting our coastal areas. Our dedication to environmental quality is unwavering, and we shall persist in our efforts to protect and maintain our marine ecosystem,” she reassures.
