Water Supply Issues at Tenerife II Prison
On Monday, Cristina Valido, a representative of Coalición Canaria (CC), demanded that the Interior Ministry put an end to the water supply cuts at Tenerife II prison, which are affecting “seriously” both working conditions and the safety of the facility.
Valido has requested the appearance of Ángel Luis Ortiz, the head of the Penitentiary Institutions, to report on the measures planned to resolve the issue. She has also inquired in writing to Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska for an explanation regarding the current situation.
In a statement, Valido mentioned that she has echoed the complaints from staff at the facility located in El Rosario municipality, who are reporting daily interruptions in the water supply, which only provides potable water during limited times.
Furthermore, she emphasised that this situation is not an “isolated incident”, as “in recent years, it has been common for supply issues to arise with the arrival of summer at the prison.”
Washing with Buckets
Valido referred to testimonies from workers, who are “forced to wash their hands and relieve themselves in buckets,” and detailed that inmates rely on water deliveries via tankers brought to the location.
The CC representative warned that this situation “seriously affects the working conditions and safety at the centre,” as well as posing health risks in an environment where temperatures can reach exceedingly high levels.
She recalled that following the 2023 fire which affected 12 municipalities in Tenerife and damaged the channels supplying the facility, discussions were held regarding the necessity to expand the storage capacity and establish a direct and exclusive pipeline.
Therefore, she questioned why a “serious deficiency such as the lack of potable water supply” has yet to be rectified, despite requests from both the El Rosario Town Hall and union representatives for the State, responsible for implementing improvements, to take action.
In light of this issue, Cristina Valido has urged the central Government to inform what urgent measures will be instituted to ensure the water supply at Tenerife II, as well as the reasons for the delays in executing the “necessary improvements to secure adequate supply.”
