This year, Las Teresitas beach will undergo significant and essential works aimed at enhancing the sanitation of wastewater produced in showers, bathrooms, and kiosks situated along this section of the city’s coastal area. The Chicharrero City Council, through its Public Services department, will collaborate with the Mixed Water Company (Emmasa), responsible for executing the project, to install piping enabling this sewage to flow into the sanitation network of the San Andrés neighbourhood. Until now, the wastewater has been stored in tanks, from where it is later removed by a truck.
The local councillor for the area, Carlos Tarife (PP), stated yesterday that, “with this important initiative, Las Teresitas will have sanitation for the first time, addressing a long-standing deficiency on the beach that will enhance its hygiene and safety.”
Tarife also recalled that this year, the initial payment will be made to Emmasa to settle the debts the council owes the company due to the lack of approval for water price increases in recent years. “We will be paying 3.8 million euros of the total 13 million owed, with the commitment that half of this amount will be earmarked for investments, which is why we have requested it specifically for the sanitation of Las Teresitas,” he explained.
Additionally, Tarife announced that next month will see the commencement of the second phase of the project to enhance the San Andrés fire station (EBAR), which is included in the zero discharge initiative. These works are anticipated to be completed by November and will involve installing a drive pipe to María Jiménez, linking it to the overall sanitation network. Although this will result in challenges on one of the lanes of the highway, it will facilitate the elimination of another residual discharge point along the coast.
Waste
As per Tarife, this action, alongside those implemented for zero discharge, which is nearing completion, “has prompted us to begin the process of reclaiming the blue flag for the beaches of Las Teresitas, Las Gaviotas, and the bathing areas of Los Charcos and El Block, in Valleseco.” He further noted that the operations in Tachero and Taganana will be concluded by March, and once finished, the treated waters will be suitable for irrigating fruit trees.
Moreover, the improvements at the Añaza and Acorán purification and pumping stations are expected to finish between September and October, “following the redirection of treated water from Los Alisios to the Santa Cruz treatment facility, which will eliminate discharges in that area.” Similarly, construction at Anatolio Fuentes is projected to wrap up around the same period,” he elaborated.
The councillor explained that “the only outstanding component is the Buenos Aires treatment plant, for which the national government has set a deadline of December 11. We hope that the timelines for this project, which is already three years behind schedule, will be met, ultimately allowing us to open a beach in this vicinity.”
