The Spanish government's neglect of water infrastructure has stalled eight key projects in Andalusia. Despite the heavy rains recorded in recent days, which have brought several reservoirs to historic levels, the lack of construction is preventing the retention of water that could guarantee supply during periods of drought. Huelva is the province most affected by this situation, with three major actions pending., while Málaga and Almería are still waiting for new desalination plants to strengthen their supply systems.
The rainfall over the past week has restored hope to Andalusia, which has suffered years of water shortages. The community's reservoirs improve their figures after historic drought records, but the water storage system remains insufficient to meet the needs of the population and the agricultural sector. The government's lack of commitment to implementing water infrastructure means that much of the collected water must be released to avoid risks, thus wasting a vital resource.
Currently, the autonomous community has eight dams pending execution, as well as desalination plants and pipelines essential for improving water use. These projects have been planned for years, but remain blocked due to the central government's inaction. Andalusia demands an urgent response to resolve the water shortage, which, despite the rainfall, continues to threaten its development.
Huelva leads the claims with three dams paralyzed
The province of Huelva is one of the most affected by the lack of water infrastructure. The Alcolea Dam is the most significant example. Approved by the government in 2007, with an initial project that contemplated a capacity of 274 cubic hectometres, construction began in 2012 and was due to be completed in 2017. However, to date, the project is barely 23% complete. The construction of the Alcolea Dam would store water from the Odiel River to supply some twenty municipalities in Andévalo, the Costa region, and Condado. However, the project is still awaiting an environmental report on water quality.
Also in the same province are the La Coronada and Pedro Arco dams, both of which have shown no significant progress since their approval. The former, with a planned investment of €125 million, has seen no progress. The latter, Pedro Arco, was approved in 2018, but does not even have a project tendered, despite an estimated investment of more than €60 million. These infrastructure projects would allow for the sustainable use of the area's water, guaranteeing supply to populations that currently depend on limited resources.
The Costa del Sol, one of the areas with the greatest water shortages in Andalusia
Málaga is also suffering the consequences of the government's lack of investment in water infrastructure. The Costa del Sol is one of the Andalusian regions with the fewest water resources, despite the recent improvement in its reservoir levels following the rains. In this area, the government has approved two desalination plants as strategic: one in La Axarquía and another in Mijas. Both facilities are essential for ensuring water supply during periods of scarcity, but they remain unbuilt.
Likewise, the project to expand the La Concepción reservoir is pending, which would triple its capacity to 180 cubic hectometers. This project, however, is not scheduled for completion until after 2027. Furthermore, the Cerro Blanco dam, with a capacity of 50 cubic hectometers on the Guadalhorce River, is planned for the municipality of Málaga. Despite its strategic importance, it also has no start date or allocated budget. Recent rains have forced the release of water from this river due to a lack of storage capacity.
In Campo de Gibraltar, another key infrastructure project remains unfinished: the Gibralmedina Dam. The €81 million project would store 45 cubic hectometers of water from the Guadiaro River, guaranteeing water supply to Campo de Gibraltar and, in the event of an emergency, to the western Costa del Sol. Demand for water in this area is growing, and the public company Acosol is currently forced to purchase water in Cádiz to guarantee its supply.
Córdoba and Granada are still waiting for long-promised projects.
Another infrastructure project that remains unfinished is the San Calixto Dam in Córdoba. This reservoir has been planned since 2009 on the Genil River, between Puente Genil and Écija, and would store 80 cubic hectometres of water. However, the original project was rejected by the Ministry of the Environment, despite being included in all the hydrological plans for the Guadalquivir Basin. Currently, only an alternatives study exists, valued at four million euros, but no steps have been taken to implement it.
In Granada, the Velillos River dam is one of the great forgotten ones. Proposed in 2001 and scheduled to be operational in 2008, construction has not begun. This infrastructure would collect winter floodwaters from the Velillos River, preventing its water loss and reducing the risk of flooding in municipalities in the Vega de Granada and Bajo Genil. The dam would help store essential water for agricultural irrigation and urban supply, needs that remain unmet.
The Rules and Béznar channeling, a debt pending for two decades
In the province of Granada, the pending canalization works on the Rules and Béznar dams are also noteworthy. Completed in 2003, both dams lack a water distribution system that would allow for their use. Canalizing these infrastructures would provide water to 350.000 people on the Costa Tropical and thousands of hectares of farmland. However, the project has been delayed for more than twenty years, while the Rules reservoir, with a capacity of 111 cubic hectometers, remains underutilized. The lack of these works has led to it being described as the "largest swimming pool in Europe."
Almería awaits a new desalination plant and the expansion of existing ones
The situation in Almería is no better. The construction of a new desalination plant in the eastern part of Almería remains pending, despite the urgent need to increase the region's water supply. The infrastructure, with an estimated investment of €100 million by the State, would alleviate the pressure on the province's water resources. It is important to remember that the Villaricos desalination plant in Bajo Almanzora has been out of service since 2012 due to a flood.
Added to this is the need to improve and expand other key facilities, such as the Carboneras and Campo de Dalías desalination plants, which are essential to guaranteeing the water supply to one of the most arid areas of Andalusia.
Andalusia calls for efficient management and more investment in water infrastructure
The recent rains have highlighted the need for an infrastructure system capable of retaining and utilizing all available water. The lack of planning and investment by the central government keeps Andalusia vulnerable to future droughts. The community demands an urgent response to execute pending projects and guarantee the supply of water for both human consumption and agricultural and industrial development.
Andalusia has the natural resources, but it needs modern and efficient infrastructure to ensure sustainable water management. The eight pending dams, along with the desalination plants and pipelines, represent a historic debt owed by the government to the autonomous community, which is still waiting for the necessary impetus to make the most of the water available to it.
