Santa Cruz de Tenerife Launches €1.6 Million Flood-Prevention Project in San Andrés
Santa Cruz de Tenerife has launched a 1.6 million euro flood-prevention project to upgrade drainage and infrastructure in the El Cercado ravine, aiming to resolve long-standing safety risks caused by structural bottlenecks.
Water security in the San Andrés area of Santa Cruz de Tenerife has reached a turning point. The Island Water Council and the local city council have officially signed an agreement to move forward with critical flood-prevention work in the El Cercado ravine, finally addressing the area’s long-standing vulnerability to heavy rainfall.
The flooding issues in the El Regente sector are caused by a structural bottleneck. Technical studies show that the current drainage system and narrow crossings cannot handle high volumes of water, leading to overflows that threaten both public safety and local travel. After years of requests from residents, the project now has a secure budget of 1.6 million euros, with the Island Council providing 80% of the funding.
The project, which began the bidding process earlier this year, involves channeling 160 meters of the ravine and upgrading 182 meters of road. The work is expected to take twelve months to complete. Beyond managing floodwaters more safely, the project will also improve road access for the local fishing community.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to adapt local infrastructure to the islands' challenging terrain and increasingly frequent extreme weather. By fixing this hydraulic bottleneck, the city is taking a major step toward protecting the area and ensuring that its roads and drainage systems can better withstand heavy storms.