There are political decisions that one can understand. And then there are those others that arrive with an exact percentage, an institutional gesture, and a solemn "it is necessary": raising water by 15%.
The Cabildo of Lanzarote, together with the town councils of Arrecife, Teguise, and Tinajo, has decided that the island's water problem will be solved by increasing its price. Because when something doesn't work as it should, it seems the simplest thing to do is pass the cost on to the citizen.
In Lanzarote we do not ask for miracles. We ask for water. Constant water, with pressure, without unexpected cuts. Without uncertainty every time the tap is opened. However, reality speaks of frequent interruptions, worried farmers, and neighbors who pay for a service they do not always receive in optimal conditions.
Before talking about efficiency, contract review, or technical responsibilities, they talk about raising rates. As if the problem were that until now we paid little. As if the structural deficit of the system were a consequence of citizen generosity.
Water is not a luxury. It is an essential service on an island where every drop has strategic, social, and economic value. 15% may seem like a technical figure in an office setting, but in the domestic economy and in sectors such as agriculture or small businesses, it has a very real impact.
The key question is simple: what concrete improvement is guaranteed to the citizen in return? Will there be fewer outages? More pressure? A more efficient network? A more transparent system?
If management continues the same, the only thing that will have increased is the amount of the bill. Governing is not just balancing numbers; it is ensuring that the essential works before asking for an additional effort from the citizens.
The citizens of Lanzarote need certainty. They need the tap to be turned on and for water to come out without them wondering if there will be a supply that day. They need to trust that every euro they pay translates into real improvements.
Before raising the price of water, perhaps responsibility should be made to flow.