Tenerife is grappling with a drought emergency crisis, with tourists potentially having to pay more for water than locals. UK holidaymakers in the popular European Union destination have been alerted to the possibility of paying more for water than local inhabitants.
The Tenerife government has extended the island’s water emergency status until February 28, 2025, following a decision made at the fourth “Drought Committee” meeting held earlier today. Rosa Dávila, President of the Tenerife Cabildo, announced the news during a press conference outlining the agreements reached by the Governing Council.
She confirmed an additional €3 million allocation for the island’s water infrastructure plan, bringing the total investment to €13.5 million. Dávila stated that almost all of the 75 measures detailed in the emergency declaration have been implemented, except for water usage restrictions, which have not yet been deemed necessary.
The Cabildo’s actions form part of a wider strategy to tackle the ongoing drought affecting Tenerife. The emergency declaration allows for the fast-tracking of crucial infrastructure projects and ensures water availability for the island’s essential agricultural sector.
Rosa Dávila, President of the Tenerife government, described it as one of the “driest winters in recent history” for the island. Experts warn that the island could face months or even years of severe water shortage, reports Birmingham Live.
She cautioned that the situation remains “critical” and stated: “We cannot wait for rain. The current water flow is still inadequate and unlikely to improve. The decree ensures we can provide sufficient water for farming.”
Mayor Luis Javier Gonzalez Delgado has signed an order banning the use of drinking water for filling swimming pools, ponds, reservoirs or tanks, cleaning buildings, washing vehicles, or using showers on the beach in these areas. “These are measures that the government group adopts from a position of responsibility, it is not a matter that has to do with good or bad management, but with the worsening of an anomalous meteorological situation,” the Mayor told Spanish newspaper Diario de Avisos.
