LAVOZDELANZAROTE.COM
The general director of Water of the Government of the Canary Islands, Orlando Umpiérrez from Lanzarote, stated this Wednesday that the municipality of Arrecife has a project that contemplates the expansion of its sanitation network and the separation of the rainwater network.
"Just like in Puerto del Carmen and Playa Honda, the Arrecife project will be undertaken as soon as the agreement is signed", by which the State and the Government of the Canary Islands will contribute about 17 million euros.
"Although the text has already been agreed with the Ministry of the Environment, what is still missing is the investment," he said.
"Although sanitation is a municipal competence, the Canarian Government has tried to get involved in the National Hydrological Plan," he added.
According to Umpiérrez, for whom the shortcomings of the sanitation infrastructures that Arrecife and Lanzarote suffer from have always been something traditional, in the past many natural ravines were blocked and construction was allowed on them. "Ravines were blocked and no way out was given to the water," he commented. "Now it would be necessary to do major works that include much more drainage," he added.
Economic injection
For his part, the Councilor for Public Works and Services of the Arrecife City Council, Luis Morales, assured that the damage that the municipality has suffered due to the recent rains has been mainly due to the intensity of the rainfall. "As long as 35 liters per square meter are not exceeded in less than half an hour, there are usually no major difficulties," he said.
Morales recalled that the City Council had already undertaken works for the collection of rainwater, and said that many others are still pending from the aforementioned 17 million euros. "Our biggest concern right now is to receive a significant injection of money to carry out new rainwater works," he said.
The recent rains that have fallen on the Island have caused countless problems in the streets of Arrecife, revealing multiple deficiencies in the roads of the island's capital. In this sense, Luis Morales insisted that in the past many natural ravines were blocked. "It is an issue that requires planning and approval of the modification of the General Plan of Arrecife" (PGOUA).
In any case, Morales also argued that Arrecife is the lowest municipality and that it not only receives the rain that falls on it but also that of other municipalities and that it goes to the capital.
