Four months after its passage, Storm Therese continues to cause damage in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The City Council has announced an emergency project worth 3.5 million euros to repair the pumping station at Teatro Pérez Galdós.
The passage of Storm Therese through Gran Canaria last February left a mark that has not yet faded. Four months later, the City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has announced an emergency project valued at 3.5 million euros to repair the pumping station (EBAR) of Teatro Pérez Galdós, a key infrastructure for the city's sanitation.
The Councillor for Water, Francisco Hernández Spínola, revealed this week that the replacement of the collector is "essential due to the degree of structural uncertainty and the damage that could occur if action is not taken quickly." The storm swept away stones and sediments that blocked the conduits, leaving the facility on the brink of collapse.
A key infrastructure for sanitation
The EBAR of the Theatre is responsible for pumping untreated wastewater to the Barranco Seco treatment plant. This plant treats 48,000 cubic metres of water per day, a figure that represents almost the entirety of the 50,000 cubic metres generated by the city. Its poor condition could lead to spills or health issues.
As Spínola explained, the work will begin shortly, once Emalsa, the mixed water company, has completed the preliminary measurements. The work will consist of replacing the damaged collector and repairing the structure affected by the accumulation of stones. The City Council has declared the urgency of the intervention to prevent further damage.
Damage in ravines and roads
The storm also affected other areas of the capital. In the Tamaraceite ravine, an emergency project has already been carried out for 200,000 euros to repair roads and channels. The work has restored access to several homes and prevented further landslides.
In Guiniguada, the Sustainability department, led by Gemma Martínez Soliño, has had to act in the environmental area of Pambaso. Walls and access points damaged by runoff have been repaired, although the department is working on a larger project to restore the pedestrian path and other elements.
Residents of the affected areas have expressed their concern about the slow pace of repairs. "We have been waiting for months for the roads to be fixed, and now this," commented a resident of Tamaraceite. The City Council assures that priority works are already underway and that the rest will be addressed in the coming months.
The replacement of the collector is essential due to the degree of structural uncertainty and the damage that could occur if action is not taken quickly, said Francisco Hernández Spínola, Councillor for Water.
Storm Therese, which brought heavy rains in February, already caused flooding and damage to several infrastructures at that time. Now, the total bill amounts to 3.7 million euros, adding the works in Tamaraceite and the EBAR. The City Council hopes that the repairs will be ready before the next rains, expected in autumn.
For the residents of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the news is a relief, as the EBAR of the Theatre is vital for the city's sanitation. However, the duration of the works and the possible inconveniences remain uncertain. The council promises to keep the public informed and minimise disruptions.
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