By areas, the planned investments amount to 21.9 million euros in roads, 9.6 million in ports of the Autonomous Community, 6.27 in Hydraulic Infrastructures, 3.3 in transport and 7.9 in expropriations. All this through co-financed agreements, in some cases, signed between the Canary Islands Government and the Ministry of Public Works, and in others with the island's institutions such as the Road Network Improvement Plans and Road Conditioning and Conservation.
Overall balance:
ROAD AREA
A) AGREEMENTS WITH THE STATE ADMINISTRATION
A-1) Completed Works:
- ACCESS TO THE PORT OF PLAYA BLANCA: Work tendered and contracted by the Ministry of Public Works. It began in 1997 and ended in 1999. It involved a total investment of 1,337,861.77 euros.
- ROAD GC-710. SECTION: TAHICHE-GUATIZA: This work was tendered by the Ministry of Public Works, being awarded to the company CORSAN-CORVIAM. Its cost has been 16,714,759.16 euros.
A-2) Works in progress:
- COMPLEMENTARY WORKS FOR THE PREVENTION OF FLOODS TO ROAD GC-710, SECTION: TAHICHE - GUATIZA: Work tendered by the Ministry of Public Works. It was awarded to the company CORSAN-CORVIAM for a budget of 1,151,201.81 euros, starting its execution in July 2007.
- DUPLICATION OF ROAD LZ-1, SECTION: LZ-3 (ARRECIFE RING ROAD) -TAHICHE: Work tendered by the Canary Islands Government. It has been awarded to the UTE DRAGADOS-HORMIGONES INSULARES for the amount of 16,433,737.86 euros. Its start took place on December 18, 2007, and its completion is scheduled for June 2009.
A-3) Other actions under study:
- DUPLICATION OF THE ARRECIFE RING ROAD: A project has been drawn up from which an initial report was issued in September 2006 by the General Directorate of Roads of the Ministry of Public Works. Pending receipt of approval from the Historical Heritage Commission of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, since May 2007, for the purposes of the appropriate Environmental Impact Statement. After the issuance of the Environmental Impact Statement, the project must be adapted to the conditions that, where appropriate, are formulated, for its subsequent referral to the Ministry of Public Works, for the purposes of the final report and its approval by the contracting body.
The investment foreseen in the current Agreement is 45.83 million euros.
- YAIZA - ARRECIFE, 1st PHASE: MÁCHER-PLAYA QUEMADA: Draft project from which reports from the Ministry of Public Works have been issued in February, September and October 2007. Pending visit of technicians from the Ministry of Public Works to the area affected by the project due to problems with the layout on the ground.
The budget included in the project amounts to 3.2 million euros.
- YAIZA-ARRECIFE, 2nd PHASE: On the part of the Canary Islands Government, various studies and projects have been drawn up for this section in the last ten years, submitted to public information on two occasions, which have not reached the agreement of the Local Institutions of the island of Lanzarote regarding the layout. Pending such agreement, where appropriate.
The investment foreseen in the current Agreement is 48.46 million euros.
- GUATIZA - ORZOLA: The conditioning of this section of road was already the subject of an informative study that was submitted to public information in 1997.
In 1999 a construction project was drawn up that was not approved.
The investment foreseen in the current Agreement is 20.38 million euros.
B) ROAD NETWORK IMPROVEMENT PLAN (WORKS TO BE EXECUTED BY THE AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITY OF THE CANARY ISLANDS): According to the Plan approved in 2001, the investment planned by the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands amounts to 9,027,201.81 euros. The actions are:
- CONDITIONING LZ-30 (TEGUISE-UGA) P.K. 11,900 TO P.K. 15,315: Work started in 2002 and completed in 2003. It involved a total investment of 1,441,782.02 euros.
- CONDITIONING LZ-10, SECTION: TEGUISE - HARÍA, THROUGH THE VALLEYS: Action started in 2002 and completed in 2004. The investment amounted to 2,296,162.84 euros.
- TEGUISE RING ROAD, 1st PHASE: This action was not carried out at the request of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, which at the meeting of the Bilateral Monitoring Committee of the Agreement held on April 7, 2006 proposed the replacement of the same by the Soo-Caleta de Famara work.
- CONDITIONING LZ-30 (TEGUISE-UGA) P.K. 15,315 TO UGA: Work started in 2005 and completed in 2006. Its tender and contracting was carried out by the Cabildo de Lanzarote through a management delegation agreement. The final certification was processed in 2007. It involved a total investment of 2,581,015.50 euros.
- CONDITIONING LZ-702, SECTION: UGA-FEMÉS: As in the previous case, its tender and contracting was carried out by the Cabildo de Lanzarote through a management delegation agreement. Its execution took place in 2005 for an amount of 980,614.50 euros.
- ROUNDABOUT IN LZ-1, P.K. 2,500. TAHICHE ROUNDABOUT: This action was not carried out under this Plan by agreement of the Monitoring Committee of the Agreement of April 7, 2006, since its construction was finally included in the Agreement signed with the State General Administration within the Arrecife -Tahiche work.
The allocation foreseen for these works in the Improvement Plan was transferred to other actions of the same.
- CONDITIONING OF THE SOO-CALETA DE FAMARA ROAD: For the execution of this work, a management delegation agreement was signed with the Cabildo de Lanzarote on November 6, 2006. The works have been tendered for an amount of 1,540,949.47 euros and awarded for 1,371,445.03 euros to the company LANZAGRAVA, and are currently underway, with completion estimated for April 2008.
D) OTHER TRANSFERS FROM THE CANARY ISLANDS GOVERNMENT TO THE CABILDO DE LANZAROTE
As a consequence of the transfer of services, personnel and material resources to the Cabildo de Lanzarote for the exercise of the transferred powers in road matters, the appropriate payments have been made to this Island Institution, which in the period 2005 - 2008 is specified in the following amounts.
WATER AREA
In the area of Water, the management of this Ministry has been based, fundamentally, on the development of the provisions of the Island Water Plans, which include actions of General Interest of the State incorporated at the time into the National Water Plan, which are financed under the Agreement between the Ministry and the Ministry of the Environment; and of Regional Interest, which are financed with the budget of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands.
In terms of seawater desalination in Lanzarote, very important projects have been carried out, such as the Expansion of the Arrecife Desalination Plant, with a production capacity of 15,000 m3/day, thus guaranteeing the supply of the island, whose demand has been growing uninterruptedly in recent years.
As for the Ministry's forecasts for the improvement of the water supply of the island of Lanzarote, it should be noted that among the actions included in the next Collaboration Agreement on Water Matters to be signed between the Ministry of the Environment and the Canary Islands Government for the period 2008 - 2012 are the 1st Phase of the Janubio Desalination Plant, which will have a production capacity of 10,000 cubic meters per day, as well as the IDAM Lanzarote IV - 2nd phase.
On the other hand, the Ministry, through the General Directorate of Water, has granted the Island Water Council of Lanzarote a subsidy worth 1.6 million euros for the creation of a plant with the capacity to produce 4,000 m3/day of desalinated water in Janubio, in the municipality of Yaiza. The new plant is expected to be operational between May and June 2008. The work has been provisionally awarded to the company SADYT.
Likewise, an action has been carried out consisting of the supply, assembly and commissioning of wastewater treatment plants for the tourist municipalities of Lanzarote for an amount of 142,000 euros.
The management of the established objectives also entails carrying out a series of complementary actions aimed at improving water quality, environmental impact studies, drafting projects, etc., both in matters of General and Regional Interest.
1.- ACTIONS OF REGIONAL INTEREST
Regional Plan for Sanitation, Purification and Reuse of Wastewater
The most relevant actions of Regional Interest are those corresponding to the Sanitation, Purification and Reuse of Water Plan of the Canary Islands, which began in 2003 in coordination with the Island Councils, with a total investment in the Archipelago, by the Canary Islands Government, of 68.15 million euros, of which more than 63 million are contracted and more than 50 million euros have been executed.
Through the Sanitation, Purification and Reuse of Wastewater Plan, nearly 12 million euros have been invested in Lanzarote. Part of this financing is carried out through European ERDF funds.
The objective of this Plan is to ensure that all the towns on the island have adequate water treatment.
Among the works completed through this program are the Sanitation of Arrieta and Punta Mujeres, in Haría (1.8 million euros); the Sanitation of the industrial area of Puerto Naos and Castillo de San José, in Arrecife; and a series of sanitation works in the municipalities of Tías, Tinajo, Teguise, San Bartolomé and Yaiza.
The Ministry has also carried out the Arrecife Pumping and Impulsion Station, whose works, budgeted at 232,962 euros, were declared an emergency at the end of 2006.
The sanitation network of the industrial area of Playa Honda, in the municipality of San Bartolomé, whose budget amounted to 2,236,071 euros, has also been executed.
The industrial area of Playa Honda, located north of the town of Playa Honda and the Arrecife - Puerto del Carmen road, did not have a sanitation network to channel wastewater to the treatment plant. The project included two pumping stations, one at the source and another intermediate one.
Through the Sanitation Plan, the Ministry has also executed a sanitation project to improve the conditions and health of the Charco de San Ginés, in Arrecife.
The object of the project, whose budget amounted to 479,169 euros, has been to solve the pollution problems presented by this unique Charco, problems that are generated by the leaks suffered by the pipes and wells of the sanitation network in the area, as well as by the intrusion of seawater into the collectors that prevents the pumps from working properly, which also hinders the purification of these waters.
1,385 cubic meters of water arrive daily at the Charco de San Ginés sewer, a flow to which must be added the waters from the industrial areas, which represent another 1,850 cubic meters.
2.- ACTIONS OF GENERAL INTEREST
Current agreement between the Canary Islands Government and the Ministry of the Environment
The works executed through this Agreement, whose budget amounts to 46 million euros, are the following:
- Lanzarote Island Purification System, which includes wastewater treatment plants and the reuse of Arrecife (8,000 m3/day), Playa Blanca (1,500 m3/day) and Haría (400 m3/day), as well as their complementary and accessory works.
- Lanzarote IV Desalination Plant, with a production of 20,000 m3/day.
- Regulation of the Arrecife desalination plant (Tanks and drives).
- Wastewater treatment and reuse plant in Tías (8,000 m3/day).
- Maneje - Arrieta - Máguez pipeline.
In addition to these actions, the Expansion of the Arrecife and Puerto del Carmen Sanitation Networks is underway, with an additional budget of 25 million euros, so the total investment of the Agreement amounts to 71 million euros.
Lanzarote has been the first island to execute all the works of this Agreement due largely to the pre-financing carried out by the Cabildo, which has allowed it to have the new infrastructures earlier.
New Agreement between the Canary Islands Government and the Ministry of the Environment (2008 - 2012)
With the upcoming signing of this Agreement, the following works will be carried out:
- Sanitation, Purification and Reuse System of Arrecife, La Caleta del Sebo, Órzola, El Golfo and Playa Quemada.
- Wastewater treatment of the Northwest Sector of Lanzarote.
- Janubio Desalination Plant, 1st phase, of 10,000 m3/day.
- Lanzarote V Desalination Plant.
- Sanitation of the urban center of Playa Honda.
National Water Quality, Sanitation and Purification Plan
The planned investment for the improvement of sanitation on the island of Lanzarote through the National Water Quality, Sanitation and Purification Plan, which covers the period 2006 - 2015, will be 108,770,000 euros.
The financing of this Plan, foreseen in compliance with European Directives, is pending negotiation with the Ministry of the Environment and the Central, Regional, Island and Local Governments must participate in it.
The list of actions included in the aforementioned Plan includes, among others: the Expansion of the Arrecife and Tías WWTPs (9 million euros); the expansion of the Playa Blanca WWTP (6 million euros); and the expansion of the Lanzarote Sanitation and Purification System (25 million euros).
Works in progress
The Ministry is currently working on the execution of the works to Improve and Expand the Sanitation of Arrecife and Puerto del Carmen, in Tías. The works, which began at the end of 2007, will provide these two important urban centers of the island with an adequate system for evacuating rainwater floods through a separate system of collectors to prevent, as has been happening so far, floods even with low intensity rains.
- Expansion of the Arrecife sanitation network: The works to expand the Arrecife sanitation network, included in the Agreement established between the Canary Islands Government and the Ministry of the Environment, were awarded to the U.T.E. BRUES Y FERNÁNDEZ CONSTRUCCIONES S.A. for a budget of 13,470,449.68 euros and an execution period of 30 months.
The works began on July 19, 2007. Up to last December, 477,035.74 euros had been certified.
This action includes, exclusively, the rainwater collection network of Arrecife, with the aim of reducing the risk of flooding in the island's capital. Rainwater collection has been designed with three types of intakes:
- Grit chambers at the head of some networks to incorporate flows from natural channels that currently flow into the urban center.
- Gullies for rainwater collection along the route of the planned rainwater network.
- Spillways for floods from the existing sanitation network to the new planned rainwater network.
The network has been designed in tubular sections of 800 and 900 millimeters in diameter where small drainage sections are required, and in variable rectangular sections of concrete for areas that require greater capacity. The entire network will be buried in a trench and with manholes for proper maintenance.
Expansion of the Puerto del Carmen Sanitation Network, Tías
The project is very similar to the previous one. It involves the execution of the rainwater drainage network of Puerto del Carmen through a separate system of collectors with the aim of reducing the risk of flooding in this urban center.
The works, which are also carried out in agreement with the Ministry of the Environment, were awarded to UTE CORSAM CORVIAM - CONSTRUCCIONES NAZARET for a budget of 11,977,297.77 euros. The works began on August 20, 2007 and are scheduled to be completed in February 2010.
The collection of rainwater is also planned with three types of intakes:
- Grit chambers at the head of some networks to incorporate flows from some natural channels that currently flow into the urban center.
- Gullies for rainwater collection along the route of the planned rainwater network.
- Spillways for floods from the existing sanitation network to the new rainwater network.
The network has also been designed in tubular sections of 800 and 900 millimeters in diameter where small drainage sections are required, and in variable rectangular sections of concrete for areas that require greater capacity. The entire network will be buried in a trench and with manholes for proper maintenance.
Both in the case of Puerto del Carmen and in that of Arrecife, carrying out the trench excavations to house the pipes entails many difficulties, especially as it is a populated area with high traffic intensity, which will require provisional diversions of traffic and stoppages due to interference with other services.
Other planned actions
Among the works to be started during this year 2008 are the "Expansion of the Sanitation and Reuse of Arrieta and Punta Mujeres" and the "Reuse of Wastewater in Tías".
Due to the scarcity of water resources on the island of Lanzarote, the Ministry is promoting a set of measures with the aim of increasing the reuse of treated wastewater in the existing treatment plants on the island.
Currently, of the 6.3 million cubic meters purified annually, 2.1 million are reused, which represents 33% of the total purified water.
PORT AREA
With the new transport philosophy, the ports of Lanzarote have acquired a special role within the Canary Islands Communications Network.
Ports such as Playa Blanca, connected to Corralejo, today play a fundamental role in maritime passenger transport, with a significant volume of movement and a flourishing freight traffic.
In view of the boom experienced by the Canary Islands Port Network, the Ministry plans to undertake a series of actions such as the reform of the management model and an ambitious plan to remodel and expand ports.
For the selection of the ports that will be the object of the new Canary Islands Port Plan, their role within each island, and their regional function, as well as their potential for future development, have been taken into account. In Lanzarote, the commercial port of Playa Blanca, due to its relationship with that of Corralejo in Fuerteventura, and Órzola, due to its relationship with La Graciosa, are those of most regional interest. Puerto del Carmen also fulfills a very important function associated with the tourist development of this area of the island, and as such it will be contemplated in the Special Territorial Plan for Ports. In the case of the Island of La Graciosa, the choice of the port of Caleta de Sebo is clear.
WORKS IN PROGRESS
Expansion of the Port of Órzola
The port of Órzola, located in the north of the island, in the municipality of Haría, is the most favorable connection point with La Graciosa, with no other comparable viable alternatives. This port is used by some 26,000 passengers every year.
The works to expand the port of Órzola were awarded to the company ACS Proyectos de Obras y Construcciones S.A. (later Dragados), on August 21, 2002 for a budget of 4,258,642.83 euros. The contract was signed on September 11, 2002.
The construction procedure for the works of this port is very complex due to environmental requirements. In order to respect the environment, for example, it is necessary to execute the protection breakwater foreseen in the project by maritime means, that is, without building an access from land. Likewise, the dredging of the access channel must be done exclusively by underwater mechanical means, without the use of explosives.
In addition, the necessary technical means have to spend long periods of time waiting for optimal maritime conditions, and these, in recent times, have been so scarce that they have hardly allowed the execution of the works at the planned pace.
All the attempts made have represented a degree of risk difficult to assume on the certainty of completing the works successfully. Only a part of the total contracted works could be executed in 2002 with Dragados, specifically the one corresponding to the extension of the Ribera Pier and the Transversal Pier, which included a small dredging of the bottom to place the bench.
Given this difficult situation, on June 5, 2006, by Order of the Minister of Infrastructures, the works contract was terminated.
After this, a new access alternative was proposed that would serve as a continuation of the previous project and that would allow the works already started to be completed. The way to approach the solution has as a fundamental premise an access from land to the breakwater, access that will later be removed.
On December 26, 2006, the Ministry awarded the 2nd phase of the "Expansion of the Port of Órzola" works to the U.T.E. Sato - Joca, for a budget of 6,763,314.63 euros.
The works are quite advanced with respect to the initial schedule, being 55% executed, so it is estimated that they could be completed in the summer - autumn of 2008.
The object of this project is to improve the safety conditions of the vessels operating in the Port of Órzola, both during entry and exit from the Port and during their stay inside the dock, providing due protection against waves, in addition to ensuring the specific draft required by ships during their operations.
The project under execution focuses, basically, on the construction of a 210-meter emerged detached protection breakwater; the dredging of 17,500 square meters of surface in the access channel to the port; and the provisional access to the detached breakwater.
PUERTO DEL CARMEN
Expansion of the port of Puerto del Carmen
In September 2007, the expansion works of the port of Puerto del Carmen were awarded to the UTE formed by the companies DRAGADOS - HORINSA - DRACE, for a budget of 11,500,500 euros. The expected completion date is May 2009.
Currently being carried out:
? Reinforcement of the protection layers of the existing breakwater.
? Extension of the existing breakwater by means of two alignments of caissons.
? Construction of an inner promenade and another on the edge of the bank .
? Improve the agitation conditions of the dock due to the action of the waves.
? Delimitation of the rocky shallow areas in the entrance.
? Integration of the edge of the bank into the port environment and the urban center, keeping its environmental values intact.
The works will allow an expansion of the water surface from 12,500 to 33,500 square meters, and the use of areas hitherto unused for access to pontoons. This solution will also facilitate future expansions.
The final result will be the extension of the breakwater by means of vertical reinforced concrete caissons arranged in two new alignments, the reinforcement of the current breakwater by means of concrete blocks, the construction of a walkway on the inner side of the current breakwater and the construction of an edge promenade.
PUERTO DE PLAYA BLANCA
Regarding the Port of Playa Blanca, there are currently two projects ready to go through the prior consultation process (Environment and Coasts).
The purpose of this action, which is pending publication in the BOC for prior consultations, is to resolve the problems of coexistence of ferries dedicated to commercial traffic with fishing and recreational boats, designing an outer dock for two or three commercial berths.
The planned action will enhance the reception of passenger traffic and create a new specific dock with easier maneuvering with several berthing piers, as well as segregate traffic and maneuvering areas for passenger and recreational vessels, and increase the land area to improve port services.
The connection of the port of Playa Blanca with that of Corralejo (Fuerteventura) constitutes one of the most important corridors in the entire Archipelago.
REAL INVESTMENTS IN PORTS OF LANZAROTE
In the period 2003-2007, the Ministry has invested 14,785,364 euros from chapter VI (real investments) in projects and works in ports of Lanzarote dependent on the Autonomous Community. For 2008, the planned investment is close to 10 million euros.
The investments have been made in the ports of Playa Blanca, Puerto del Carmen, Puerto de Órzola, La Santa and Puerto de Caleta de Sebo.
TRANSPORT AREA
In the area of Transport, the Ministry has allocated a total of 12,709,395 euros to the island of Lanzarote in the period 2004 - 2007 for the financing of different projects or agreements such as those of the Transinsular Transport Axis, Promotion of Collective Passenger Transport, Promotion of Discretionary Land Transport, etc. The investment in this area planned for 2008 is 3,280,095 euros, so the total investment in the period 2004 -2008 will be 15,989,490 euros.
PLAYA BLANCA BUS STATION
The Ministry, in agreement with the State and the Cabildo de Lanzarote, has financed the construction of the Playa Blanca Bus Station, in the municipality of Yaiza.
The facilities that house this station, located at the entrance to the port area of Playa Blanca, are divided between the platforms and the waiting area.
The building, which occupies 2,500 square meters of surface, also houses the premises that will house the cafeteria and municipal offices.
The works began in 1999 with a budget of 712,000 euros, but with the change of Corporation they were left waiting for a second budget item, of 702,000 euros, for their completion.
ARRECIFE INTERCHANGE
In Arrecife, next to the headquarters of the Cabildo, there is land where it is planned to build the transport interchange of the island's capital, which will also be financed by the Ministry, although a decision has not yet been made regarding its final location.
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