The 25-page document highlights that the provision of this essential resource is at risk due to the concessionaire company's, Canal Gestión, non-compliance. The report urges the public administration to temporarily take control of the service, stating that administrative action is not only possible but "obligatory."
The "utmost concern" regarding the service's condition extends to all phases of the integrated water cycle: desalination, distribution, sanitation, purification, and reuse. In response to these findings, the Water Consortium has unanimously agreed to temporarily intervene in the service and proceed with the steps to terminate the contract with the Canal Isabel II subsidiary on the island.
The report details the deficiencies and incidents recorded in recent months, in a context where the island has been in a hydrological emergency for over a year. It emphasizes the "precariousness in production" of Lanzarote's two desalination plants, which are entirely dependent on industrial infrastructure for water generation.
One of the desalination plants, EDAM Janubio, operates at 66% capacity due to a breakdown, while EDAM Díaz Rijo shows a "high rate of shutdown incidents." These failures resulted in water production interruptions for at least 1,200 hours last year, despite a 40% increase in water consumption over the past decade.
In addition to production issues, there are deficiencies in the distribution network, with losses exceeding 55% of the total—an "exorbitant" figure that the concessionaire has failed to reduce in 13 years of service. This translates into "recurrent periodic cuts" and repeated supply shortages without prior notice, making the service "completely unpredictable" for residents.
Regarding sanitation, the report points to a "structurally tight situation" that cannot cope with increased flow during rainfall, leading to overflows and discharges in areas such as Playa Blanca, Puerto del Carmen, Costa Teguise, and Arrecife. The main Wastewater Treatment Plants (EDAR) are "at their capacity limit," and treatment is "habitually insufficient" to meet quality standards.
“"The inadequacy of ordinary measures and the need to guarantee service continuity create a scenario where administrative action is not only possible but obligatory."
The document concludes that Canal Gestión's "non-compliance" is causing "harm to user interests" and endangering service provision. The Island Council had already reported on April 7 its decision to terminate the contract 17 years before its expiration, due to unmet conditions and objectives.
For its part, Canal Gestión has expressed its "absolute astonishment" at the Water Consortium's stance, stating that it has not received a response regarding the process to transfer the concession to a qualified third party. The company has warned that it will pursue all legal avenues to defend its interests, insisting that it has maintained service despite the "obsolescence of inherited infrastructure" and accusing the Consortium of neglecting its duties as a contracting body.
