The Estepona City Council will authorize the filling of swimming pools and guarantees the supply with the start-up of the desalination plant in May
The Consistory has just put into operation two brackish water wells in the Padrón area that generate 2,000 cubic meters per day and is working on the execution of other wells to add another 3,400 cubic meters per day.
The mayor of Estepona, José María García Urbano, has advanced that during the month of June will begin the installation works of the containerized desalination plant in the area of the Castor river, which will be able to generate in a first phase 8,000 cubic meters per day of fresh water.
The Mayor of Estepona, José María García Urbano, announced today that the City Council will authorize this summer the filling of community and private swimming pools after confirming that the water supply is guaranteed in the municipality this summer and after the Junta de Andalucía has left this decision in the hands of the local administrations.
After the last rains that have placed the water capacity of the region at levels similar to those recorded last year and the new municipal infrastructure works that are being promoted to incorporate up to 16,300 cubic meters per day to the network, the Consistory considers that it can be allowed to use the pools of urbanizations and individuals during the summer season.
The councilman explained that the City Council of Estepona has been working since last year in the implementation of new water infrastructure to the drought situation. Among the first measures is the installation of a desalination plant in the Padrón river area, which will start operating in May and will produce 2,900 cubic meters of fresh water per day.
In addition, a containerized desalination plant will be installed in the Castor river area, which has been in the manufacturing process since December and is expected to be installed in June. In its first phase, this project will produce 8,000 cubic meters per day. The City Council is also adapting the 53,000 square meter plot on which this municipal infrastructure will be located.
In addition, two wells in the Padrón area, which had been unused since the 1990s, have been adapted and put into operation, and which together will enable 2,000 cubic meters per day to be added to the supply network. On the other hand, the Consistory has obtained authorizations from the Junta de Andalucía to carry out new boreholes that allow the execution of new brackish wells, which would provide up to 3,400 cubic meters per day.
On the other hand, the mayor has advanced that the City Council of Estepona is working on the creation of a system that certifies pools that for their sustainable characteristics make a responsible use of water. In this sense, aspects such as having protective awnings to prevent water evaporation or water treatment plants with water recovery, among others, will be valued. Those that obtain this certificate will have guaranteed their use in periods of drought.
Likewise, the councilman has indicated that, although the water resources are assured for this summer, it is important that we all make a responsible use of water and that the different public administrations work in the implementation of infrastructures that guarantee the supply in areas where the tourist sector has an important economic weight.
The mayor has explained that all the measures being carried out by the City Council of Estepona will also have a positive impact on the other municipalities in the region, since the water produced in the city will avoid the use of common resources existing until now. In addition, the Consistory has indicated that they will make a solidary use of the water produced by the new infrastructure and has expressed its willingness to collaborate with the other municipalities with which it shares the high water supply network.
García Urbano recalled that the City Council of Estepona has carried out numerous works in recent years so that the technical performance of the supply network exceeds 85 percent efficiency, almost 10 percentage points more than the annual average of Spanish cities. In this way, water losses and leaks are avoided for a better use of this resource.