Puerto de la Cruz Approves Controversial €420M Water Contract

The Puerto de la Cruz City Council has approved a new contract for its water and sewage services. This project is set to involve spending over 420 million euros and has caused much debate, mainly about how long it will last and what impact the new facilities will have.

The decision was approved by PP, Coalición Canaria, and PSOE, but opposed by Asamblea Ciudadana Portuense (ACP). This decision follows an analysis that highlighted major disagreements.

A main point of contention is how long the contract will last. The National Evaluation Office (ONE), part of the Ministry of Finance, said the proposed 40-year term is much longer than the recommended 26 years. The opposition believes this extra time could unfairly benefit the company that wins the contract.

David Hernández, spokesperson for the ACP, tried to delay the approval, asking for a deeper look into two key areas. First, he wanted to know why the contract is so expensive and why there are no technical reports to back up its proposed length. Second, he questioned whether a desalination plant planned for the Punta Brava neighborhood is actually needed. Hernández worried about its environmental impact and the plan to change the land use for its site. Currently, this land is set aside for social housing. He also questioned how the plant would discharge salty wastewater (brine) and if it's realistic to build it in 26 months without an environmental impact report.

Meanwhile, the PSOE successfully added an amendment to prioritize sanitation work, especially in Punta Brava and at the municipal wastewater pumping stations (EBAR), to fix problems in the existing network. The socialists clarified that building the desalination plant is not a priority or urgent. They also asked for the contract's monitoring committee to include members from all political parties in the council, including the opposition.

The ruling parties argue that this contract is crucial for finally stopping wastewater from being discharged into the sea. Mayor Leopoldo Afonso said the goal is to spend over 28 million euros right away to prevent beach closures and help the town regain its Blue Flag status for beaches. Pedro Antonio Campos, the Councillor for Administrative Concessions, called the contract "historic" because of its size and its social and environmental benefits. He promised that the planned investments would modernize the water networks, make water supplies more secure, and improve neighborhoods.

Despite the contract's approval, David Hernández stressed that the ACP acted to protect the public's interests. He acknowledged that many of the planned works are needed, but not "at any cost."