The General Council of the Mancomunidad del Sureste gave the green light this Tuesday to the project, which is co-financed by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria (2,799,764.25 euros) within the framework of the Cooperation Plan with Mancomunidades 2024-2027, and by the Mancomunidad itself (695,426.71 euros).
The main objective of the action is to renovate the first phase of water treatment, the pre-treatment, by improving the equipment and systems responsible for removing solid waste, sand, and other components to ensure the water continues without impurities to the subsequent stages.
The president of the Mancomunidad and mayor of Agüimes, Óscar Hernández, highlighted that the approval of the project is an "important step to continue improving an essential infrastructure for the three municipalities", especially in the face of intense rainfall episodes. He noted that the Mancomunidad has committed to integrated water management, and these works reinforce that commitment to ensure that the water returned to the sea is in better condition.
The works, with a planned execution period of 12 months, aim to improve the efficiency, safety, and reliability of the region's public wastewater treatment system, considering the population increase experienced in Agüimes, Ingenio, and Santa Lucía de Tirajana in recent decades, from 90,282 people served by the EDAR in 2000 to over 140,000 in 2023. This increase in residents has also led to the infrastructure, initially designed to treat 6,000 cubic meters of wastewater daily, being expanded on successive occasions to reach 18,000 cubic meters.
To achieve these goals, a new inlet pipe for wastewater will be constructed to facilitate its arrival at the facility and reduce problems that can occur during heavy rainfall. New automatic screens and filtering systems will be installed to remove materials such as wet wipes, plastics, and other debris that hinder equipment operation.
The project also includes the renovation of sand and grease removal systems, the incorporation of a new pumping station, and the establishment of emergency overflow systems equipped with solid retention and flow measurement devices, as well as the installation of a generator set to ensure system operation during power outages.
The existing pre-treatment facilities will be expanded towards the Barranco del Polvo, utilizing a free outdoor area. A new prefabricated concrete structure with a block masonry enclosure and a lightweight roof will be built to provide the necessary space for these improvements.
