The Water Board of Lanzarote held the II Citizen Assembly for Water on March 30 at the La Tegala society in Haría, where it brought together citizens concerned about the current situation regarding the integral water cycle on the island. The first assembly had been held in February 2024 at the Sociedad Democracia in Arrecife. Among the topics discussed, they have proposed calling a demonstration for public water.
According to a press release issued this Thursday, this second meeting addressed the "chaotic water situation," specifically focusing on the municipality of Haría, although Teguise, Tías, Tinajo, San Bartolomé, and Yaiza also suffer daily cuts. This Water Board has criticized the "terrible management that has been carried out in recent decades by the institutions, Cabildo, and town halls," which, with "inept actions and obscure dealings, has led us to this complex situation that consummated its failure with the privatization and concession to Canal Gestión of the integral water cycle of Lanzarote" during the presidency of Pedro San Ginés.
Likewise, they have assured that after the debate, two things "became clear": on the one hand, that water is a right and this implies that its access must be guaranteed; on the other hand, that given "the distrust and weariness of citizens with the political managers who have governed in the last 20 years, the management of the integral water cycle must be public, taking into account the supervisory figure and the presence in the decision-making of the residents of Lanzarote."
The Citizen Water Board has indicated that "we cannot leave the management of water in the hands of those who have not fulfilled their responsibilities, commitments, and obligations to the citizens."
The following were reflected as conclusions and proposals from the citizen water assembly to continue debating and to be brought to the municipality:
- Plan the holding of a demonstration for public water and with citizen participation in the decisions and supervision beyond the simulation of the Insular Water Council.
- Investigate the legal route to denounce breaches, abuses by Canal Gestión, and/or the water cuts themselves.
- Support and demand rigor in the preparation of the report on breaches of the contract with Canal Gestión.
- Demand that the Haría City Council install drinking water fountains.
- Demand that the northern City Council "pressure and seek solutions for the water cuts, as well as access to water for agriculture in the municipality."
- Bring to the attention of the Haría City Council the concern about the uncontrolled discharge of wastewater on the coasts of the municipality.
- Articulate within the Citizen Water Board analysis, debate, and proposal groups, always separate from political groups and their partisan games.
- Demand the channeling of rainwater and the repair of the maretas and other storage options, demanding, in turn, that the Haría City Council obtain a map of the pipes, cisterns, etc., to know the water reality of the municipality.
-Establish an information and management point for subsidies related to water and the primary sector.
Finally, from the Citizen Water Board, we call on the citizens of the island to organize to demand immediate solutions to the "disastrous management of the integral water cycle." The citizens "cannot get used to this situation that is becoming chronic."
