Lanzarote's Island Water Council has voted to extend the declaration of a water emergency on the island for a further six months, meaning the emergency measures will remain in force until February 2027.

The decision, approved by a majority during Friday's meeting of the Council's General Board, was accompanied by the unanimous approval of €6.4 million worth of new infrastructure projects aimed at improving the island's water network and strengthening long-term water security.

According to the Lanzarote Cabildo, the latest investments form part of an ongoing programme to modernise ageing water infrastructure, with a particular focus on reducing the significant losses currently affecting the island's supply network.

New projects approved

Among the contracts awarded is a major scheme to renew water supply pipelines, designed to reduce leaks and improve the efficiency of the distribution network.

The Council also approved a €965,000 project to improve urban rainwater drainage in the Argana district of Arrecife. Most of the funding for this project will come from the Canary Islands Government's Directorate General for Water.

Additional works include the cleaning and maintenance of several ravines in the municipality of Haría, including Trujillo, Tenesía, Elvira-Sánchez, Curbelo-Chafariz and La Negra, along with wider drainage improvement works across the island's river channels.

As part of the meeting, members also unanimously approved the consolidated draft of the Key Issues Document for the fourth cycle of Lanzarote's Hydrological Plan, covering the period 2027 to 2033.

Lanzarote has faced recurring problems with water supply in recent years, particularly during periods of high tourist demand and rapid population growth. The extension of the emergency measures is intended to give authorities more time to complete essential upgrades while improving the resilience of the islands' water infrastructure.