Water emergency ends in Fuerteventura after major improvements to supply
The Fuerteventura Cabildo has announced that the island is no longer under a water emergency, after reducing shortages by more than 80% and increasing daily production by 66% since 2023.
The water emergency was first declared in 2020 and extended a year ago due to what officials described as an “unsustainable situation,” with frequent outages, insufficient production, deteriorating networks, and limited storage.
Investment and progress
According to island president Lola García, more than 60% of the planned emergency works have already been completed, with the remainder scheduled to finish by 2026. A historic €60 million investment has funded these improvements.
Key actions include:
- Expanding desalination plants in Puerto del Rosario, Corralejo, and Gran Tarajal, boosting production to a record 50,000 cubic metres per day.
- Building new modern storage facilities in La Herradura, Tamaragua, and Guerime, increasing storage capacity by 40%.
- Renovating supply networks across the island, cutting leaks significantly.
- Completing strategic pipelines connecting key reservoirs.
- Reducing external water purchases by 90% and energy costs at the water authority (CAAF) by 70%.
A step forward, but not the end
Despite the progress, García stressed that the Council would not be “satisfied until the situation improves permanently.”
Water Minister Adargoma Hernández added that the advances now allow for a more reliable and efficient system, capable of responding to unexpected challenges.
“The water emergency may be over, but waterworks remain our priority. We will continue with the planned roadmap to make sure this situation never happens again in Fuerteventura,” García concluded.
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