The Titerroy Neighborhood Association expresses its "discomfort and accumulated fatigue" on the part of the residents and merchants of the area affected by the works of the Arrecife Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Expansion and Improvement Project, specifically on José Pereyra Galviaty Street.
Although they understand and share the need for this strategic infrastructure for the municipality, they lament "the absolute lack of sensitivity, planning, and monitoring by the awarding company, as well as the inaction and lack of control by the Arrecife City Council, which, even though it is not a direct promoter of the work, does have powers in local supervision and in the defense of neighborhood interests."
Currently, and after almost two years of work, they assure that "transiting through the neighborhood has become an odyssey." José Pereyra Galviaty Street remains closed, despite the trenches having been covered for months, which is causing "a serious deterioration in mobility and a significant loss of income for small businesses, some of which are on the verge of closing."
According to some residents, based on statements from workers on the project, "the resurfacing will not be carried out until similar work is completed in the municipality of Teguise." They express that this statement has generated "great indignation, as they understand that another municipality is being prioritized over Arrecife. These comments, although not official, fuel the feeling of abandonment and institutional discrimination."
In addition, "the situation has recently worsened with the detours and changes in circulation generated by the traffic modifications at the Ciudad Deportiva roundabout, which adds more chaos and difficulties for residents and visitors."
On February 27, the Association convened a meeting with councilors Alfredo Mendoza and Roy González. At that meeting, residents and merchants conveyed their complaints and submitted more than 250 signatures requesting immediate action. "Four months have passed and no visible progress has been made: the street remains closed, without active work, and with a company that simply waits to resurface," they say.
Just a month ago, the Association formally requested the Arrecife City Council to intervene urgently "given the situation of abandonment and insecurity experienced by residents." Furthermore, they have repeatedly insisted on "the need to designate a municipal technician to supervise the execution of the work, ensure compliance with minimum safety, accessibility, and signage conditions, and act as a technical interlocutor with the company."
On the other hand, they point out that "the situation is especially serious at night: residents are forced to use their mobile phone flashlight to walk along an unlit, unpaved road, full of stones and without signage, turned into an improvised and dangerous passage. This area, with high traffic, is located between the bus station, the municipal swimming pool, and a shopping center, which poses a real risk to the physical integrity of hundreds of people daily."
In addition, residents denounce that the awarding company "is cutting back on essential safety measures, failing to comply with its obligation to guarantee safe and adequate pedestrian access."
Meeting with neighborhood spokespersons
As a result, the Association formally invites the municipal spokespersons of the Arrecife City Council to a meeting with the residents, which will take place next Thursday, June 26, 2025, at 5:00 p.m., at the headquarters of the Titerroy Neighborhood Association.
The objective of this meeting is for "public representatives to directly listen to the complaints and proposals of the affected residents and merchants, and commit to concrete measures to advance the resolution of this situation. Citizens deserve to be heard and taken into account." Therefore, they request:
- That the Arrecife City Council act immediately, exercising its institutional responsibility and pressuring the awarding company to complete the pending work without further delay.
- The urgent reopening of José Pereyra Galviaty Street, given that the trenches have already been closed and there is no justification for keeping it closed.
- The immediate designation of a municipal monitoring technician, who supervises the work, guarantees the safety of the environment, and acts as a liaison with the project's technical management.
- That the company be required to expedite the completion of the land outfall, whose delay is seriously affecting mobility, the economic activity of the neighborhood, and the quality of life of its residents.
- That the person responsible for the General Registry of the Arrecife City Council proceed to notify this document to the authorities mentioned in the heading, so that they are formally informed.
