Andalucía apuesta por depuración, desalación y presas para resolver problemas de agua en la Costa del Sol.

The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development, Ramón Fernández-Pacheco, has emphasized that the commitment of the Junta de Andalucía to water purification, desalination, regeneration, and the use of water from reservoirs ensures that «the Costa del Sol will never again have water problems.» He made this statement after a working meeting with the Mayor of Marbella (Málaga), Ángeles Muñoz, where they discussed some of the initiatives that the regional government is promoting in the municipality in terms of water and sanitation.

«I appreciate Ángeles Muñoz, Mayor of Marbella, for making time to address some issues together that fall under the responsibility of the Ministry and affect the residents of Marbella, such as the upcoming bidding process for the improvement of the Río Verde wastewater treatment plant, where the Andalusian government will invest 37 million euros to double the treatment capacity,» the Minister noted.

The project, which will be tendered in November, includes the expansion and modernization of the Río Verde Drinking Water Treatment Plant (ETAP), a facility from the 1970s that «has become outdated.» Currently, around ten bids are being evaluated, with the expectation of starting the works as soon as possible.

During the meeting, they also discussed the actions at the Marbella desalination plant, which, after an investment of nearly 7.5 million euros by the Junta de Andalucía, will regain its maximum production capacity of 20 cubic hectometers of water per year this summer. «Last summer, we completed a first phase where we increased the capacity from 6 to 12 hm³, and this summer, as the works are about to be completed, the Marbella desalination plant will be able to produce 20 hm³, covering between 15 and 20% of the needs of the Western Costa del Sol,» the Minister explained.

Likewise, they also had the opportunity to discuss the Concepción Dam, now «happily full» after the storms of recent months. Fernández-Pacheco announced that the Junta de Andalucía will act on it by replacing the pumping pumps, with the goal of utilizing all that water.

On her part, Mayor Ángeles Muñoz of Marbella thanked Minister Ramón Fernández-Pacheco for his «commitment» to the real issues of the municipality, «with solutions and investments.»

Additionally, she highlighted the «investment effort» of the Junta in Marbella: «Almost 50 million euros are being invested by the Ministry in both the drinking water plant and the desalination plant.»

Also, Fernández-Pacheco recalled the recent completion of the new sanitation sewers in San Pedro de Alcántara, following an investment of 1.1 million euros. «These works have provided a definitive solution to the problems that the old section of the sewer had been experiencing since it broke during a strong storm in November 2021,» he detailed.

Municipal Government

The Minister wanted to emphasize the municipalist nature of the Andalusian government: «We fulfill our commitments to the Costa del Sol, to Mayor Ángeles Muñoz of Marbella, and to its residents and visitors. For the Juanma Moreno government, improving and guaranteeing water supply in the province of Málaga and also in the Costa del Sol is a priority, and we are doing so and will continue to do so.»

«Water purification and regeneration, along with desalination, are some of the commitments of the Junta de Andalucía, which does not rule out any formula to ensure water security in our land, especially in dry areas like the province of Málaga or the city of Marbella,» he pointed out.