New Las Charquetas Reservoir Boosts Water Security for Tenerife Farmers

The completion of the Las Charquetas reservoir in Guía de Isora, Tenerife, marks a major step forward for water management in the island's southwest. Now in its final phase, the reservoir is a key project designed to help local farmers cope with increasingly scarce rainfall.

The project cost €8.5 million to build and is part of a wider €20 million modernization plan that includes both water storage and a new distribution network. This effort is a collaboration between the public company Balten and the State Mercantile Society for Agricultural Infrastructures (Seiasa), which operates under the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The project was largely funded by the European Union’s Next Generation funds, which covered 80% of the cost, with the remaining 20% provided by the Cabildo of Tenerife.

Technically, the reservoir stands 15 meters high and can hold 250,000 cubic meters of water. Its main purpose is to store reclaimed water from the Adeje-Arona treatment plant, with plans to add water from the Western treatment plant in the future. By using recycled water, the region can reduce its reliance on traditional wells and galleries, providing a more stable supply for irrigation.

During a recent visit to the site, island officials—including Vice President Lope Afonso, Primary Sector Counselor Valentín González, and Government Delegate Anselmo Pestana—emphasized the project's importance. The new distribution network is expected to support over 140 farmers and irrigate more than 400 hectares of land. This development is vital for the region, as it ensures that local farms can remain productive despite the ongoing challenges posed by climate change.