The Regional Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Carmen Crespo, has requested the central government to provide 5 cubic hectometres of water from the Bajo Almanzora desalination plant as an emergency measure, this being a viable option, as well as the completion of the repair of this strategic infrastructure. The last meeting held by the head of Agriculture of the Andalusian Regional Government with representatives of the Ministry of Ecological Transition has put this request on the table, with which it is intended to alleviate, urgently and temporarily, a problem that has been dragging on since 2012, when the Bajo Almanzora desalination plant was rendered unusable after the floods suffered.
«We have made the Secretary of State for Water aware of the need to implement an emergency formula for next summer to guarantee the irrigation of the Levante Almeriense while work is being finalised to bring the old desalination plant back into operation,» said Carmen Crespo. Along these lines, the Councillor for Agriculture highlighted the positive reception this proposal has received from the central government, at the same time as she predicted that actions such as this «will be fundamental for the present and future of regions such as the Bajo Almanzora and others in Andalusia».
In this sense, Crespo has also asked the central government for the need to double the desalination capacity that the province of Almeria currently has, «which cannot withstand these levels, so it is necessary to boost the expansion of the desalination plants of Dalías, Carboneras and Alto Almanzora», actions for which he has given as an example the interest of the Andalusian Government to collaborate, «although they are actions that are not within our competence, but the Andalusian Government has wanted to be sensitive to the urgent needs that exist».
Regenerated water
The Regional Minister for Agriculture has also highlighted Almeria’s pioneering role in the field of reclaimed water for the fruit and vegetable sector, «a commitment by the Andalusian Government that will allow us to connect the whole province and reuse our water for irrigation, thereby producing water and giving our products a seal of sustainability and circularity that is highly appreciated by European consumers».
Crespo believes that the joint work of irrigators, town councils and the Andalusian Regional Government has already allowed the western part of Almeria to be a pioneer in the use of reclaimed water, «and in the next budgets of the Regional Government new actions are being considered to extend it to the rest of the province, so that we leave the existing aquifers for other uses or in the chamber».