The Plataforma por el Agua del Valle de Río Verde has asked for urgent measures to stop salt water getting into the valley’s water table.

The prolonged absence of adequate rainfall threatens to repeat the same saline infiltration caused by the drought in the 90’s.

The said “platform” (action group) comprises of the Mayors of Almuñécar (Herrera) and Jete (Jeronimo), fruit farmers from both towns and the irrigation-water-providers associations.

Almuñécar Councillor for Urban Development, José Manuel Fernández, explained that one of the measures that they will request from the authorities is the emergency execution of the Right-Bank, Béznar-Rules system (Water transfer system from the said two reservoirs).

They are also talking about pumping processed water from the sewage treatment plant down into the water table to keep the sea water out.

A representative from one of the irrigation associations, Antonio Rebollo, pointed out that in order to use processed water from the sewage-treatment plant they would need a report from the Universidad de Granada to clarify if such an action would cause contamination or not.

He also said that in the meantime there have to be restrictions on pumping water up from the water table in order not to increase the possibility of saltwater infiltration.

All the proposals and conclusions reached by the platform will be presented before a committee belonging to the Mancomunidad on the 18th of this month.

Finally, Sr. Rebollo, pointed out that the Valle de Río Verde is different from the neighbouring Guadalfeo one in that it doesn’t have a running river to top up the water table; the latter has the run off from melting snow from the Sierra Nevada.

(News: Valle Rio Verde, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)