'Water for all' call
FARMERS, union representatives and Alicante politicians held a protest outside Torrevieja’s €350 million desalination plant on Tuesday to demand ‘access to water’.
They called on the national government to take full advantage of all of the desalination plants which have been constructed along the coast from Mutxamel in Alicante to Bajo Almanzora in Almería by ensuring that they are working at full capacity.
The SCRATS union, which represents farmers who rely on water from the Tajo-Segura water transfer channel, also demanded a reduced price for the sector – with the high price of desalinated water causing their overheads to rocket.
They held banners stating that they are ‘defending the market garden of Europe’ and urging the government to provide them with more water via desalination.
It was the second in a series of demonstrations which they have planned to ratchet up the pressure on the Partido Popular (PP) in Madrid over the water shortage. On this occasion members of the PP from Alicante attended the protest, including provincial president César Sánchez.
Farmers have been forced to bear the brunt of the drought as the River Segura river and water authority (CHS) opted to turn off irrigation in the Vega Baja during the autumn to save water, rather than introducing restrictions on domestic use.
The national government is moving to increase production at Torrevieja desalination plant, the largest of its kind in Europe.
However, an increased supply of electricity is needed before this can be achieved.
Works to run new power lines to the plant from Orihuela Costa are underway but have been inconveniencing residents in the south of Torrevieja, with homeowners complaining that streets have been cut off.
Jim Brogan, coordinator for the Torresur coalition of communities, highlighted the ‘continuing problem due to desalination cable installation’ and lamented that residents have been ‘denied traffic access to the hospital and other streets that have been closed due to these works’.
Mr Brogan explained that he had asked their community police liaison officer to speak to the contractors in an effort to ensure ‘citizens are given easy traffic access to all areas’.
He suggested that temporary traffic lights or workmen to direct traffic could be used to resolve the problem.