The increment in budget is attributed to the expansion of various initiatives and the rise in construction expenses.
MADRID, 9th January (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Secretary of State for the Environment, Hugo Morán, presided over the signing of an addendum this Thursday to the agreement established on 8th July 2020 by the state commercial enterprise Aguas de las Cuencas de España (Acuaes), the Cabildo of Tenerife, and the Island Water Council of Tenerife, aimed at financing, executing, and operating sanitation and purification projects on the island.
Upon completion, these projects will address the issues of non-compliance with wastewater purification directives and water protection regulations enforced by the autonomous community of the Canary Islands, permitting the reuse of wastewater for agricultural purposes.
The addendum indicates a hike in the anticipated investment to 233.5 million euros (excluding IGIC) – the originally planned investment in the 2020 agreement was 170 million euros.
This adjustment is a result of the expanded operational scope requested by the Cabildo de Tenerife and the CIATF, along with the extraordinary surge in construction material prices observed in recent years, according to a statement from the Ministry of Ecological Transition.
The signing ceremony, which took place at the headquarters of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, was officiated by the president of Acuaes, María Rosa Cobo, and the president of the Cabildo of Tenerife, Rosa Dávila, and received approval from the Board of Directors of Acuaes during its meeting on 26th July 2024, and from the Cabildo on 8th August, pending the Council of Ministers’ approval for modification number 4 of the Direct Management Agreement of Acuaes, which occurred on 17th December.
At a meeting of the agreement monitoring commission on 19th December, it was reported that the works are significantly advanced, currently achieving a completion rate of 62 percent, with the Western, Granadilla, and Valle de La Orotava systems nearing 92% completion, notably including the finishing touches on the Oeste and Los Letrados treatment plants, which will commence operation once the necessary discharge authorisations from the Canary Islands Government are secured and Endesa finalises the delayed down payment procedures.
Within the Western system, operations have also progressed with the construction of the San Juan wastewater treatment and pumping station (ETBAR), four EBARs, and supply pipelines that will facilitate the transport of water from Santiago del Teide to the San Juan ETBAR in Guía de Isora, enabling delivery to the treatment plant.
The connection project between central Chío and the general median collector is in an advanced drafting stage, covering approximately six kilometres, with public information set to be released in the forthcoming weeks.
In the Granadilla system, adjacent to the Los Letrados treatment plant, a 10-kilometre network of collectors has been established linking the mid-range area with the Los Letrados WWTP, along with an 8.5-kilometre conduit that connects the coastal regions of Los Abrigos, La Tejita, and La Mareta to Ensenada Pelada, from where water will be elevated to the Los Letrados WWTP.
NEW EBAR OF LOS ABRIGOS AND THE DOCK
The new EBAR of Los Abrigos and El Muelle is currently under development, requiring adjustments to the initially planned location.
Furthermore, work is progressing in the Arona Este-San Miguel system within the structures that comprise the Montaña Reverón WWTP, with construction underway at the EBAR Tamaide, at the ETBAR las Chafiras, and in the channeling of the Barranco de Uchoba in San Miguel.
In the Arona-Este system, construction has commenced on the impulses, the ETBAR of Las Galletas II, and the EBAR of Guaza and Malpaso. A total of 22 kilometres of pipelines have been completed.
The general sewage collectors of the Orotava Valley are awaiting the acceptance of the works once the auctions have been concluded.
Concerning the Acentejo system, on 6th December, the contract for technical assistance services was tendered for drafting the construction projects of the WWTP of the Acentejo Region along with the collectors and conduits that will transfer discharges from the municipalities of La Matanza, La Victoria, and Santa Úrsula to the facility.
The addendum anticipates co-funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the Pluriregional Operational Programme of Spain (POPE).
Following the addendum signing, a meeting took place where the Council introduced a list of actions to be undertaken based on a future agreement with the State Commercial Company.
Dávila expressed appreciation for the “complete willingness” demonstrated by Secretary of State, Hugo Morán, and the president of Acuaes, María Rosa Cobo, to undertake actions that “are crucial for providing the island with water security and resolving issues like coastal spills, thereby honouring commitments with the European Union.”
In her perspective, “this is a pivotal step and we are already collaborating on a subsequent agreement with Acuaes to address the remaining investments essential for the island.”
Future projects include the adduction to the northeast area of Tenerife so that desalinated water produced in Santa Cruz de Tenerife can reach the northeast; the Arico raft; the second phase of the Puerto de la Cruz treatment plant; and the Isla Baja regional treatment facility.
