James Warren
FARMERS of tropical fruits such as avocados and mangos have seen their water cut by 23% as drought conditions in the La Vinuela reservoir worsen.
Despite recent rainfall over the past weeks, the 700 hectare body of water is still well below sustainable capacity, and currently sits at just 26.4%.
Due to this, the La Vinuela agricultural committee have agreed to implement the proposed cuts to the water available for irrigation to the surrounding fruit farmers.
The cuts were originally proposed last month, and with all corresponding land owners now having received notification, the cuts have now begun, leaving farmers furious.
The lake serves around 6,247 hectares of land, the majority used for the farming of sub tropical fruits, in an area known as the Guaro Plan, after the river that serves the reservoir.
The cuts will see the Guaro Plan receive just 3000 cubic metres compared to 3,900 last year.
Farmers are furious that the cuts have had to be made despite ongoing works on a pipeline that will eventually transport reclaimed water from the Velez Malaga WWTP.
Farmers are also waiting for the price to be set for such water, a process that should have been completed months ago.
Works are also underway to integrate a pipeline to use reclaimed water from the Algarrobo and Torrox areas, however bureaucratic delays have set the project back.
One area that has benefited from the Velez Malaga WWTP is an area south of the Rio Guaro which covers some 2,500 landowners.
Thanks to the reclaimed water, the area will have the use of an extra 5.3 million cubic metres of water.
According to Hidrosur, La Vinuela currently sits at just 43.7 million cubic metres, 4.9 million less than the same period in 2019.
