EU Court Rules Spain Failed on Tenerife Wastewater Standards
The European Court of Justice has ruled that Spain is failing to adequately treat urban wastewater in 12 areas of Tenerife, a long-standing issue that the local Cabildo says it is now actively addressing with significant investment.
Dealing with wastewater is a huge challenge for the Canary Islands right now. It affects the environment, society, and people's health. For years, the European Union has been telling Spain that its wastewater management is not good enough in many parts of the country, especially on these islands.
Yesterday, the European Court of Justice issued a decision. It found that Spain is not meeting its responsibilities under the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive in several towns and cities. Of these, twelve out of 29 problem areas are located in Tenerife. The EU first warned Spain in 2021. Then, in 2023, after confirming that 29 locations still didn't meet the required standards – even with some improvements – the European Commission took the case to court. While yesterday's ruling doesn't include fines yet, the European Commission can impose financial penalties if Spain doesn't fix the situation.
Following this ruling, which specifically highlights Tenerife, the Island Council (Cabildo) responded. Even though it oversees water planning through its Insular Water Council, the Cabildo stated it is "neither responsible nor the cause of the problem." They explained that "Tenerife has many communities that grew for decades without enough infrastructure," which they believe is the root of the issue.
The Island Council also clarified that the court's decision looks at the situation in 2020, using data from April 13 of that year, not the current state. They emphasized, "It's important to note that more money is being invested in sanitation and wastewater treatment on the Island now than ever before. Most of the necessary projects are either finished, being built, or have secured funding." The Cabildo stressed it is "leading the solution."
The EU Court of Justice specifically found that Spain broke Article 3 of the directive by failing to ensure proper urban wastewater collection systems in these Tenerife areas: Acorán, Adeje-Arona, Añaza, Candelaria-Casco, Candelaria-Punta Larga, Golf del Sur, Guía de Isora Litoral, La Esperanza-La Laguna Sur-Santa Cruz-Valles (covering La Laguna, El Rosario, Santa Cruz), Puerto de Santiago-Playa la Arena, San Isidro-Litoral, Sueño Azul, and Valle de la Orotava.
Additionally, Spain violated Article 4, paragraphs 1 and 3. This was for not taking the necessary steps to ensure wastewater entering these collection systems receives secondary treatment (or an equivalent process) in the same areas, as well as in other parts of Spain.
Finally, the Court also stated that Spain failed to comply with Article 15 (along with Annex I, Section D). This means it didn't monitor wastewater discharges to check if they met the standards set in Annex I, Section B. The areas affected by this particular violation include: Acantilado de los Gigantes, Adeje-Arona, Candelaria-Casco, Candelaria-Punta Larga, Golf del Sur, Guía de Isora Litoral, La Esperanza-La Laguna Sur-Santa Cruz-Valles, Puerto de Santiago-Playa la Arena, Sueño Azul, and Valle de la Orotava.