There appears to be a problem with the waterproofing of Almuñécar’s Paseo del Altillo, which is letting water filter through into the bars on the lower paseo. Unfortunately, this is not a recent occurrence, as since the paseo was finished in 2006, some of these businesses have been dogged by damp.
The Councillor for Urbanismo, José Manuel Fernández, says that when it rains or the gardens are watered, the water leaks down, despite the layer of damp-proofing to avoid precisely that.
“We have spent the last four or five winters with the fuses blowing each time it rains,” said the owner of La Pelillera.
It has been estimated that the damage caused by the inadequate damp proofing of the upper paseo has cost around 16,000 euros in damaged ceilings, walls, furniture and electrical installations.
However, water drainage is not only causing problems below, but also on the surface; the grated drainage channels near the road aren’t clearing the water effectively, causing puddles to accumulate on the road, which in turn is loosening the road surface, causing dips or potholes. Accordingly, work is now being carried out on the drainage channels, which is hoped to be concluded before Good Friday.
This, of course, is costing the town money – around 6,000 euros, thanks to the special materials needed. Yet, there is no guarantee that this work will cure the problem – they might end up having to rip up the whole surface and lay a complete new waterproofing course, which would cost closer to a million euros, unfortunately.
The leaks caused by the irrigation problem, on the other hand, have less to do with faulty waterproofing and more to do with the wrong choice of trees and plants; namely rubber-plant trees, whose roots are renowned for causing problems.
The Fuente del Fenicio, down the western end of the paseo, has almost never been operating, precisely because of water leaks. Probably the only solution there would be to dismantle it and put some other kind of ornamental feature in its place… that doesn’t use water, of course.
One of the owners of the bars beneath complained, “The Fuente del Fenicio is our biggest headache, and we are hoping that it will be sorted out after Semana Santa.”
Oh well…
(News: Almunecar, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)