«The Cabildo de Tenerife is committed to permanently resolving all discharges at Playa Jardín ». Rosa Dávila, president of the Insular Corporation, assured yesterday that all necessary resources will be utilised to put an end to this environmental catastrophe, which has been the longest-standing issue on the island, resulting in one of Tenerife’s principal beaches being closed for swimming for over eight months.
Dávila condemned the previous administrations of the Cabildo and the Puerto de la Cruz City Council, led by the PSOE, for their “inertia” in the face of a severe marine pollution crisis resulting from ongoing discharges of sewage that were predictable and are causing significant consequences for the residents of Playa Jardín and the surrounding areas, the tourists, the local economy, the marine biodiversity and the reputation of the tourist destination.
Inaction and overlooked warnings
“The predicament at Playa Jardín stems from years of negligence and warnings dismissed by the prior island government and the City Council itself,” expressed the island president from the Canarian coalition. “The Insular Water Council had flagged issues with the submarine outfall back in 2020, yet no measures were undertaken to address them,” she noted.
Dávila added that “in 2021, a comprehensive report highlighted 13 incidents related to the sanitation infrastructure that adversely affected water quality in the vicinity.” “And in 2022,” she recalled, “another report from the Aguas Insular Council once again cautioned about the seriousness of the issue, without taking effective action.
The Cabildo president referred to the “numerous and emphatic” reports she shared recently, which signalled the ongoing deterioration of the waters from the Tres Cieras Complex in Puerto de la Cruz at least since 2020 due to wastewater discharges that ultimately led to the closure of Playa Jardín on July 3, 2024.
«The absence of political resolve to tackle such a grave issue has resulted in the environmental crisis that we are currently facing,” she specified, adding: “From the outset, this government,” formed from a CC and PT alliance after the May 2023 elections, “has embraced the duty of finding solutions to reverse a situation we are determined to address.”
“Specific” actions
Dávila reminded that the Cabildo has initiated “specific” measures to “resolve this crisis ultimately.” «Emergency protocols have been enacted to seal the outfall, with its rehabilitation in progress involving a investment of 2.7 million euros and a duration of 16 months,” she stated. “Additionally, we are currently requesting bids for the construction of a new treatment facility in Puerto de la Cruz, entailing an investment of 20.8 million euros, which will benefit over 100,000 individuals and enhance water management across the area.”
Rosa Dávila also mentioned that the Cabildo is working on connecting the residents of the Barrio de Punta Brava, located adjacent to Playa Jardín, to the sewer system, contributing one million euros to the Puerto de la Cruz City Council. “We understand and empathise with the concern arising from the closure of Playa Jardín, both for residents and the tourism sector. However, unlike in the past, we now have an island government that acts with diligence and dedication,” she emphasised.
The president of the Cabildo Tenerife recalled that in June of the previous year, she had telephone discussions with the mayor of Puerto de la Cruz, Marco González (PSOE) – who was later replaced by Leopoldo Afonso (PP) following a motion of no confidence – to inform him that he needed to impose an immediate swimming ban at Playa Jardín. She did this after reviewing the Public Health Report from the Government of the Canary Islands, signed on the 21st of that month, which called for this drastic action due to the high levels of faecal bacteria detected in the waters of the municipality’s main bathing area. The closure was officially decreed on July 3, just 13 days after the public health alert.
