Councillor Manuel Miranda informed residents about the progress of the project, which will replace the current underwater pipeline with an investment of €3.88 million.
The Canary Islands Government has taken a key step to improve the supply of drinking water in La Graciosa. The first contracting meeting for the project to renew the pipeline connecting the island with Lanzarote has already taken place, bringing the awarding of the works closer, as reported this Thursday by the Councillor for Territorial Policy, Territorial Cohesion and Water, Manuel Miranda, during a meeting with residents.
The meeting, which took place on the island itself, was attended by the mayor of Teguise, Olivia Duque; the Councillor for Water of the Lanzarote Cabildo, Domingo Cejas; and the General Director of Water of the regional government, José García Leal. They all explained to the residents the next steps in the procedure and addressed questions regarding an infrastructure deemed a priority to ensure the supply for the eighth island.
Manuel Miranda recalled that the Executive has held several meetings with residents throughout the legislature, fulfilling the commitment to provide firsthand information about the project's evolution. “Since the beginning of the legislature, we have committed to advancing this infrastructure and maintaining ongoing communication with residents. Today we can share a new development with the celebration of the first contracting meeting, an important step towards awarding works essential for ensuring La Graciosa's water supply,” the councillor stated.
The mayor of Teguise, Olivia Duque, highlighted that the collaboration between the City Council, the Canary Islands Government, and the Lanzarote Cabildo is fundamental to making a strategic infrastructure for La Graciosa a reality. “When administrations work together with a common goal, projects progress and solutions reach the citizens,” she affirmed, adding that this new step brings the island closer to a safer, more efficient water supply tailored to its present and future needs.
For his part, the Councillor for Water of the Lanzarote Cabildo, Domingo Cejas, emphasised the complexity of the processing due to the necessary authorisations and praised the work done by the Water Consortium to obtain the permits. Cejas assured residents that “the water supply will be at the level that its inhabitants deserve by 2027.” “Today we come again to inform you of a new step: after the completion of the bidding process, we are on the verge of awarding the work,” he added.
The action, tendered by the General Directorate of Water, has a base budget of €3,880,266.11. It will allow for the replacement of the pipeline connecting Lanzarote with La Graciosa, installed between 1996 and 1997, which currently has limitations in meeting demand during peak periods and has issues arising from accumulated breaks after nearly three decades of service.
The project includes the installation of a new high-resistance polyethylene pipeline, both in the underwater section and in the land connections. Approximately 1,220 metres of underwater pipeline will be laid between the two islands and nearly 1,100 metres of land conduits, improving the safety, capacity, and reliability of the drinking water supply for residents and visitors.
The execution of the works will take place within the Chinijo Archipelago, a Biosphere Reserve of Lanzarote and an area integrated into the Natura 2000 Network. Therefore, the project has required intense technical and environmental processing for over two years, incorporating bathymetric and oceanographic studies, underwater inspections, marine habitat mapping, and specific analyses of protected flora and fauna. The works will have specialised technical assistance to supervise compliance with all preventive, corrective, and environmental monitoring measures planned.
The contracting is being processed as an urgent procedure to take advantage of the most favourable sea conditions during September and October, minimising both the technical risks of installation and the temporary impacts on the marine environment.
With this new advancement, the Canary Islands Government continues to promote a strategic infrastructure for La Graciosa, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring the water supply on the island and maintaining a permanent dialogue with its residents throughout the project's development.
You may also like
