"Some have been without water for eight days," say the residents of Haría. The northern municipality usually has problems with the water supply every summer, but the fire registered in plant III of Inalsa last Friday has been the straw that broke the camel's back.
For days, the City Council of the municipality has been receiving dozens of calls from desperate citizens who do not know how to resolve their situation. "Inalsa's phones do not answer," they explain, and they no longer know who to turn to while they see their cisterns slowly drying up. "We are outraged by this situation, because it has been many days without water, and we feel helpless," explained the Councilor for Security and Emergencies of Haría, Carmen Gloria Figuera. "We have spoken with Inalsa, the mayor has spoken with the president of the Cabildo and the councilor, but they do not give us any solution."
The problem of some homes in Haría, mainly on the coast, is the lack of cisterns. Many families have water these days thanks to them, although, as the councilor herself says, "the cisterns also dry up and we are about to have them all empty." Carmen Gloria refers to the municipal deposits that have changed their use these days: from watering gardens to supplying water to schools, ranchers, businesses and even hairdressers. This water has been analyzed to see if it can be used, although in no case is it drinkable. A truck-tank that the Cabildo has provided to the municipality is also being used, as well as several tanks from Inalsa.
Among the residents of Haría, there is talk that some have to buy bottled water, "and the economy is not for that." Others use salt water for bathing. Small tricks to try to lead a life as normal as possible, dispensing with a basic necessity. "How is it possible that Lanzarote does not have a water reserve for an emergency like this," asks a farmer who does not want to reveal her name. Her crops are being lost due to lack of irrigation. "They tell us from Inalsa that they have to supply the tourist areas, and what happens to us? They completely forget about Haría." "Fortunately, the harvest has already been done," explained Carmen Gloria Figuera. "But the rest of the crops, such as fruit, will end up burning if we continue without water."
The northerners continue to pay attention to the news, waiting to solve a situation that seems worthy of another time. And it is that it is difficult to believe that, as the headlines of some newspapers say, in the 21st century, Lanzarote is dying of thirst.
ACN Press
