The Government Council of the Canary Islands has approved this Thursday the file to guarantee the financing of the expansion of the Playa Blanca treatment plant, in the municipality of Yaiza. This work will involve a total investment of 10,288,514 euros until 2026 and will allow updating the wastewater treatment system in this area of the island, which has seen its population, both fixed and floating, increase in recent years.
The Minister of Territorial Policy, Territorial Cohesion and Water of the Regional Executive, Manuel Miranda, has assured that “the Government has made the decision to take on this project, which is essential to solve the capacity problems of the current facility.”
The financing forecast foresees the investment of 5,062,506 euros in the current 2024, one million euros in 2025 and 4,226,008 euros in 2026, the year in which the works are scheduled to be completed. This project will be partially financed by the 20 million euro subsidy corresponding to 2023 and coming from the State.
Manuel Miranda explained that this is an initiative “key to the systematic improvement of the water purification and reuse system”, which is why the Government “has decided to take the lead, in coordination with the Island Council of the island, for the financing and execution of this project”
This, which has an execution period of 20 months, once the works begin, will allow the unification of the treatment of wastewater from the entire Playa Blanca area in a single facility. The current treatment plant began operating in early 2003 and its current capacity does not allow for proper management and reuse of treated water, and the expected increase in the population it serves suggests that the situation will worsen in the short term.
The planned works include the execution of a new pumping station for said wastewater, which will send said water to the expanded treatment plant, including a new pipeline. Regarding the expansion of the current facility, the existing elements will be rehabilitated and renovated, and new ones will be installed on the adjacent plot. Finally, some 1,400 meters of the pipeline from the treatment plant to the submarine outfall will be replaced.
