Even after the recent rain, the current level of Tenerife's reservoirs is 20% lower than in 2023, which was already critical for agricultural water supply during the summer season. Last week’s rain barely raised the levels, which, at the beginning of this month, stood at 46.7% compared to 40.5% the previous month. However, the serious part is that it represents 20% less than the same period in 2023.
Balten, who manage the reservoirs in Tenerife are preparing for a difficult summer ahead. "We have recovered some storage volume, but the situation remains concerning," acknowledges its manager, Ana Sánchez Espadas.
Not all of the reserves are in the same situation, as some are at a more severe level than others, but it is an island-wide problem. The ones in the most alarming state are those located in the middle of the La Orotava Valley, namely the Aguamansa and La Cruz Santa reservoirs in Los Realejos, and those of La Guancha in La Tabona, San Juan de la Rambla in Llanos de Mesa, and Icod de los Vinos in Buen Paso, in the northwest of the island.
In these areas, the demand for irrigation water has greatly increased due to the lack of rain and the type of crops in the area.
"Each system has different contributions and demands, and we can even differentiate between the north and south slopes, but all are considered to be at critical levels," she said.
The exceptions are the Taco Mountain reservoirs in Buenavista, which are at 82%, and Los Partidos in El Tanque, which are at 100%, according to Balten's records for the last month. In the first case, waterproofing works were carried out, it was practically empty until mid-last year, and it was necessary to resort to desalinated water as a measure to cope with the summer.
In this area, the storage level is not as worrying, but water quality is low due to its high salinity index, meaning that certain crops are affected, such as avocados.
The climatic situation does not seem to be favourable in the near future to achieve adequate storage levels to guarantee problem-free supply, and therefore, Balten is analysing urgent actions to incorporate new resources into the different systems.
"This involves recovering reclaimed water in places where there is production, for example, in the La Orotava Valley, trying to reuse water that is treated on a regional scale," explains Sánchez.
In the northwest, "efforts are being made to improve the quality of reclaimed water transferred from the Santa Cruz wastewater treatment plant and to implement, together with the Insular Water Council, actions to put into operation the new treatment plants, hopefully this year."
