Andalusia undertakes to supply this year 31 hectometres of water to the Axarquía affected by the drought

DESPITE the wet spell in December, the water levels of the La Viñuela reservoir in Axarquía remain critical.

The reservoir reached a record low of 9.1% at the end of last year, and although that figure rose to 11.2% after the torrential rains last December, the supply for the population of La Viñuela can only be guaranteed until September. this year if the situation remains the same.

For this reason, the Junta has promised that the region of Axarquía -the most affected by the drought- will receive 31 cubic hectometres of water this year and continues with the emergency works to generate new water resources.

Of the 31 cubic hectometres of promised water, 21 cubic hectometres will be for irrigation (and will come from reclaimed water) and the remaining 10 hectometres will supply the population.

The works include the installation of a ten-kilometre pipeline to connect the Peñón del Cuervo wastewater treatment plant in Málaga with that of Rincón de la Victoria.

The conduit will supply 9.1 cubic hectometres of reclaimed water per year for irrigation in the Axarquía.

In addition, the Rincón treatment plant will provide another 3.29 hectometres.

The works to expand the treatment capacity of the El Atabal desalination plant in the city of Malaga have also been completed, after an investment of 3.15 million euros (increasing the treatment capacity of the plant by 10% to 2,640 liters per second). which will allow a greater volume of water to be transferred to the Axarquía region.

Domestic supply will be guaranteed thanks to the transfer of water from the Chíllar river in Nerja.

This supply has been underway since November 2022 and can provide about three cubic hectometres per year.

Additionally, work continues on the diversion tunnels and diversion dams at La Viñuela and Variante de Churriana.

All of these actions will benefit farmers with farms in the coastal area between the mouth of the Vélez and Torrox rivers, including the Guaro irrigation area and the municipalities of Almachar, Benamargosa, El Borge, Comares, Cutar, Iznate, Macharaviaya, Moclinejo, Rincón de la Victoria, Vélez-Málaga, Totalán, Algarrobo, Torrox and Nerja.

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