La Laguna Announces Major Wastewater Recycling Plan
La Laguna is implementing a new plan to recycle and reuse wastewater, aiming to expand recycled water access across the municipality for irrigation and other services, with the final version expected by June.
La Laguna is tackling its ongoing water challenges with a new plan to recycle and reuse wastewater. The city's Councillor for Water and Infrastructure, Ángel Chinea, announced yesterday during a City Council meeting that the final version of this plan will be ready by June. Its main goal is to make sure the whole municipality has access to recycled water.
This upcoming plan includes several important steps. One key project is to expand the recycling network from the Punta del Hidalgo Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) all the way to Tejina, connecting it to the current irrigation system. Another major part of the plan is to upgrade and reopen the Valle Colino WWTP. This plant will be able to treat about 3,000 cubic meters of wastewater daily from the historic center and the La Laguna plain. Because it's located about 350 meters above sea level, it will save a lot of energy on pumping. These efforts aim to boost irrigation for farms in areas like the La Laguna plain, Los Rodeos, and Guamasa. Recycled water will also be used for other services, such as maintaining parks and gardens, and cleaning roads and storm drains.
Councillor Chinea also mentioned past work with the company Teidagua. For example, the Punta del Hidalgo WWTP can already recycle all the water it receives, and there have been initiatives to help more homes connect to the public sewer system. For funding, grant applications have been submitted under the Integrated Local Development Strategy (EDIL). These include requests for the Valle Colino WWTP upgrade (4 million euros), sanitation and restoration work in the San Roque ravine (1.7 million euros), and various new sewer connections in EDIL areas (1.9 million euros).
The City Council meeting started with a minute of silence for former councillor José Manuel Brito Cabrera and former Cabildo president Ricardo Melchior. The council then discussed other important matters. They approved a motion, proposed by the local government (PSOE-CC), to ask the regional Ministry of Education to create a full plan for improving accessibility and adapting the Barranco del Muerto Interpretation Center, which is located at IES San Matías. The motion also requested a specific budget for this project.
In a unanimous decision, the council also approved a motion from the Popular Party, with a government amendment, to address water leaks in commercial buildings within the Princesa Yballa development. The plan involves a new technical inspection of blocks 7, 8, and 9. Experts will assess the condition of the buildings, identify problems, and suggest solutions. After this inspection, technical and legal reports will be prepared to outline possible actions, their practicality, and how they can be carried out.
Finally, the council gave its final approval to the municipal budget for the 2026 financial year. This happened after they rejected the only objection raised during the public review period. The local government supported the budget, Unidas se puede abstained, and Drago Verdes Canarias, Partido Popular, and Vox voted against it.