The proposed diversion of regenerated water from the Punta Brava treatment plant, in Puerto de la Cruz, for agricultural use in the Valle de La Orotava through the La Cruz Santa reservoir (Los Realejos) does not have an easy path. At least, the government and the opposition in the Tenerife Cabildo disagree radically on whether delays will occur or not. While the Socialist Group assumes it is operational—designated as one of the four planned works in the facility (the only one via emergency)—it will be slowed down “for quite some time” (without being able to specify) due to problems with the motors. The governing team (CC-PP) assures Canarias Ahora that the tertiary operation is “normal,” although it admits it is in a “period of adjustments.”
This “period,” however, may be much longer than previously stated, according to PSOE councillor Javier Medina, who not only alerts to issues with the motors but also to the state of the pipe connecting to the reservoir, as it “has hardly been used in the last ten years.” Beyond the pipe itself, elements like the couplings and rubber fittings may be deteriorated due to lack of use.
Medina raised this situation in the plenary commission on 24th July with the councillor for Natural Environment, Sustainability, Security and Emergencies, Blanca Pérez (CC), who only pointed to issues with the motors but did not specify timelines for the arrival of regenerated water for agricultural use at the La Cruz Santa dam.
However, the department in charge of these emergency works is the Primary Sector, led by Valentín González (PP), which insists that the tertiary system operates with “normality,” aside from these “adjustments,” according to information provided to this newspaper on Monday.
Conversely, the PSOE believes that the delay will last for a “long time” and emphasises that, in reality, “nothing has been done so far” at the treatment plant, as efforts have focused, through the company Aqualia, on reducing contamination from sewage discharges in Playa Jardín. This has allowed for 16 analyses to be connected with parameters that permit bathing, thus lifting the recommendation against swimming in the main open water recreational area of the Touristic City.
Therefore, these works for the regeneration of water and diversion towards La Cruz Santa are, according to Medina, not closely related to the state of the waters in Playa Jardín, where he does not believe there will again be the issues that made swimming inadvisable for almost a year. However, he does consider that announcements for the agricultural use of water from the treatment plant will indeed be unfulfilled, though it is not currently possible to specify dates.
