The Canary Islands Consultative Council has issued a favorable opinion for the Lanzarote Water Consortium, comprising the Island Council (Cabildo) and local municipalities, in the procedure to terminate the concession contract with Canal Gestión Lanzarote. The decision deems a structural and serious breach proven in the provision of public water supply, sanitation, and reuse services on Lanzarote and La Graciosa.
The 43-page ruling, 205/2026, unequivocally states that an essential public service cannot operate with water losses exceeding 50% or suffer continuous daily interruptions without affecting the core of the contract. The regularity and continuity of supply are defined as the "essential expression of contractual compliance," according to the summary released by the Cabildo.
The report details that structural deficiencies, stemming from the failure to execute the exploitation plan, have caused "grave and repeated service disruption." This has materialized in the inability to guarantee regular supply, with "continuous and daily supply cuts," which are not considered "sporadic or minor incidents" but rather a "structural impact on the public service."
The Consultative Council concludes that the concessionaire's breach is "structural, persistent, and not merely occasional," and that it has not been rectified despite formal requests. Therefore, it considers these breaches "grave and substantial," frustrating the contract's purpose and fully justifying the termination by the Consortium.
This pronouncement, which will be communicated to the seven mayors, represents "solid legal backing for the roadmap initiated to regain effective control of the integral water cycle," according to the Cabildo's interpretation.
“"It confirms that defending water in Lanzarote was not a political option, but a legal, institutional, and moral obligation in the face of an unsustainable situation for the citizens."
“"The Consultative Council strongly supports the procedure initiated by the Consortium and certifies that the concessionaire's breaches are structural, persistent, and serious enough to justify contract termination."
