Tenerife Opens €43M Wastewater Plant to End Sea Dumping
A new 43-million-euro advanced wastewater treatment plant, Los Letrados, has opened in Granadilla de Abona, Tenerife, to stop raw sewage dumping, protect coastal areas, and enable water reuse for farming, serving up to 145,000 people.
A new wastewater treatment plant, Los Letrados, has opened in Granadilla de Abona, Tenerife. This marks a significant step forward for water management and environmental protection in the south of the island.
The state-owned company ACUAES announced the plant's initial operation. Its main goal is to stop raw sewage from being dumped into the sea, a long-standing issue in the Canary Islands that has even led to legal action from the European Union. Furthermore, the project allows for the treated water to be reused for farming, which is vital for an island that often faces water shortages.
Over the next year, the plant will gradually start treating wastewater from more areas. It has already begun taking in water from San Isidro.
The plant can handle wastewater for up to 145,000 people. It's designed to reduce pollution in coastal areas like El Médano and Montaña Pelada, especially during peak tourist seasons. Los Letrados uses advanced technology, including MBR biological reactors and ultrafiltration membranes. This ensures the treated water is clean enough for irrigation, helping to protect the island's natural water sources.
The treatment plant itself cost 17.6 million euros. However, the project also includes an extensive network of pipes. This involves building ten kilometers of collection pipes for water from Granadilla de Abona, El Salto, and San Isidro. There's also an 8.5-kilometer main pipe that links coastal areas like Los Abrigos, La Tejita, and La Mareta to the Ensenada Pelada treatment and pumping station. In total, including the plant and these pipes, the cost is 43 million euros.
These efforts are part of a broader plan to improve sanitation, wastewater treatment, and water reuse across the entire island. This plan is a result of an agreement between ACUAES, the Tenerife Island Council, and the Insular Water Council. The total investment for all these projects is 233.5 million euros, with funding from ERDF funds of the Spanish government and contributions from the Tenerife Island Council.