DESPITE the wet spell in December, the water levels of the Axarquía’s La Viñuela reservoir remain critical.

The reservoir reached an all-time low of 9.1% at the end of last year, and though that figure went up to 11.2% after torrential rains last December, supply for the population reliant on La Viñuela can only be guaranteed until September of this year if the situation remains the same.

For this reason the Junta has promised that the Axarquia region – the most affected by the drought – will receive 31 cubic hectometres of water this year and is continuing with emergency works to generate new water resources.

Of the promised 31 cubic hectometres of water, 21 cubic hectometres will be irrigation (and will come from regenerated water) and the remaining 10 hectometres for supplying the population.

Work includes the installation of a ten-kilometre pipeline to connect the Peñon del Cuervo waste water plant in Malaga with the one in Rincon de la Victoria.

The pipeline will supply 9.1 cubic hectometres of regenerated water per year for irrigation in the Axarquía.

Additionally, the Rincon treatment plant will provide a further 3.29 hectometres.

Work to extend the treatment capacity of the El Atabal desalination plant in Malaga city is also complete, following an investment of €3.15 million (increasing the plant’s treatment capacity by 10% to 2,640 litres per second) permitting a greater volume of water to be transferred to the Axarquia region.

The domestic supply will be guaranteed thanks to the transfer of water from the River Chíllar in Nerja.

This supply has been underway since November 2022 and can provide about three cubic hectometres per year.

Additionally, work continues on the diversion tunnels and the diversion dams of La Viñuela and the Churriana bypass.

All these actions will benefit farmers with agricultural holdings in the coastal area between the mouth of the river Velez and Torrox, including the irrigation area of Guaro and the municipalities of Almachar, Benamargosa, El Borge, Comares, Cutar, Iznate, Macharaviaya, Moclinejo, Rincon de la Victoria, Velez-Malaga, Totalan, Algarrobo, Torrox and Nerja.

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