The Insular Water Council of Lanzarote has activated an investment of 959,152.48 euros to carry out the project to improve the drainage of urban rainwater in the Argana neighborhood in Arrecife.
The Canary Islands Government approved this Thursday the granting of a direct subsidy for reasons of public, social, and economic interest, through the Directorate General of Water, dependent on the Ministry of Territorial Policy, Territorial Cohesion, and Water, to the project aimed at improving the situation in Argana during rainfall episodes.
The president of the Insular Water Council of Lanzarote, Oswaldo Betancort, has thanked "the predisposition of the Government of the Canary Islands, President Clavijo, and councilor Manolo Miranda" and has highlighted that "we cannot allow, as public officials, that every episode of rain puts the residents of Argana at risk. There is a structural problem and we are seeking solutions that we are addressing with actions, not excuses."
The project, drafted by the Insular Water Council of Lanzarote in the exercise of its technical support functions for the municipalities, responds to an urgent need detected after the torrential rains of last April 2025, when significant water accumulations and incidents were recorded in several parts of Argana, highlighting the shortcomings of the current rainwater drainage system.
The Lanzarote Island Council's Water Counselor, Domingo Cejas, adds that "we are not talking about isolated actions, but about a determined strategy to correct a historical problem and guarantee greater safety for all citizens against intense rainfall."
Pending the tender for the works
The project has already been authorized by the Local Government Board of the Arrecife City Council, declaring the action to be in accordance with current urban planning regulations, and the land in the area has been made available. The tender for the execution of the works will begin in the coming weeks.
This project is an example of the necessary synergy between administrations, with the Insular Water Council acting effectively, addressing the drafting of the project to simultaneously process municipal urban planning authorization and the funding request through the grant from the Government of the Canary Islands, with a favorable outcome from both administrations.
Reducing Flood Risks
The works, once the contracting process for the construction begins, will be carried out in a wide area of the neighborhood and will affect, among others, the following public roads: Tanganillo street, Trillo street–Camino a Los Invernaderos, Los Geranios avenue, Iguazú street, Tenderete street, Hermanos Álvarez Quintero street, Antonio Machado street, Taro street, Saltona street, Rancho de Pascua street, Alejo Carpentier street, Jorge Luis Borges street, and Buero Vallejo street.
The planned works include the installation, repair, and improvement of storm drains, the construction of drainage ditches and curbs, and other specific actions aimed at properly channeling runoff, reducing the risk of flooding, and improving the safety of homes, pedestrians, and vehicular traffic during heavy rainfall events
The granting of this direct subsidy recognizes the strategic and unique nature of the project, as well as the role of the Insular Water Council as the competent authority for planning and executing supramunicipal hydraulic infrastructure, in coordination with the Arrecife City Council and other public administrations.
With this action, the Insular Water Council states that it "takes a decisive step to correct a historical problem in Argana, reinforcing prevention in the neighborhoods most affected by floods and anticipating the effects of future adverse weather events".
