The Department of Territorial Policy, Territorial Cohesion, and Water of the Government of the Canary Islands, in coordination with the Cabildo of La Gomera, has completed the reconstruction and improvement works of the Igualero reservoir. This infrastructure is strategic for guaranteeing water supply in the island's upper area and reinforcing the capacity of the insular hydraulic system.
The action began as an emergency after a serious structural deterioration of the original reservoir was detected, preventing its safe operation. Given the lack of an alternative infrastructure, the Government of the Canary Islands promoted its reconstruction to ensure supply to the population and the availability of water resources for emergency situations, especially during periods of high forest fire risk.
During the visit, the president of the Cabildo of La Gomera, Casimiro Curbelo, recalled the significant challenge of equipping the island with a network that allows mobilizing water resources from the southern basin to any other point on the island. He stated that with this reservoir operational, storage capacity increases at the island's highest point, water contributions to each municipality are met, and preparedness for emergencies like fires is enhanced.
Curbelo also emphasized the limitations of water resources, reiterating the call for responsible use and for municipalities to work on reducing network losses, describing the work as fundamental for water to reach all citizens and for systems to be prepared for drought episodes or any emergency situation.
For their part, the Vice-Minister of Water and Emergencies, Marcos Lorenzo, and the Director General of Water, José García Leal, from the regional government, insisted that the renovated Igualero reservoir recovers an essential facility for La Gomera and improves supply guarantees in a particularly sensitive area of the island.
José García Leal highlighted that this action is an example of anticipating problems, maintaining infrastructures in good condition, and working in coordination with insular administrations to improve the water security of each island.
The works executed in Igualero involved a comprehensive reconstruction of the infrastructure. The intervention included the demolition of the old slab, valve room, and existing pillars, and the construction of a new reinforced concrete reservoir inside the previous structure, with a new slab, pillars, perimeter wall, and a roof adapted for rainwater evacuation.
Furthermore, interior waterproofing was carried out using a specific membrane over geotextile, along with the installation of new access and safety elements and exterior protection of the infrastructure. The emergency work initially had an estimated budget of 650,000 euros. The modified project for the pipeline and pumping stations between Guarimiar and Igualero, completed in March 2026, involved an investment of 533,370.58 euros, consolidating the high-altitude pumping system and improving supply in Alajeró and other points on the island.
The intermediate pumping stations of Guarimiar, Cardones, Las Cruces, Imada, and Campillos also underwent improvements, including leak detection and repair, pipeline renewal, replacement of pumping equipment and frequency converters, and updating electrical installations for improved system efficiency.
The completion of the works in Igualero is part of a broader program for the modernization and improvement of hydraulic infrastructures that the Government of the Canary Islands is developing in La Gomera.
Among the most recent actions is the project for water transfers and improvement of irrigation networks in Alajeró and Vallehermoso, promoted by the Directorate General of Water, with works received in July, involving an investment of 1,141,620.67 euros. These works have allowed the recovery and conditioning of the transfer channel in the upper area of Imada to utilize runoff surpluses from the Agarán ravine and direct them towards the Acanabre system, in addition to improving the irrigation network in Alajeró, Imada, and Targa.
Additionally, the Cubaba network in Vallehermoso has been addressed with new pipelines and management elements aimed at modernizing an obsolete facility and improving the utilization of water for crops. These actions help reduce losses in old pipelines, enhance network efficiency, and reinforce an essential resource for both supply and the maintenance of agricultural activity and rural development in La Gomera.
