The Plataforma en Defensa del Agua del Valle Lecrín convoked a protest in Padul on the 22nd against the water-bottling plants. We went along.

The participants met outside the Town Hall before walking down to the Antiguo Lavedero and from there to the Padul Wetlands. It didn’t finish there, though, because the event ended in the marquee next to the Town Hall, where there was live music, food and drinks with the takings going towards the cause.

There were between 100 and 150 participants, evenly distributed amongst foreign residents and local Spaniards. Everybody was a little worried about the possibility of rain, as showers were forecast but in the end, they didn’t materialise.

I met Trini from Madrid originally and Cynthia from Canada, both had lived here for quite a few years and in the marquee Ana and Pilar deftly sold me a T-shirt for the event.

I also had a chance to speak with the Mayor of Padul, who was participating, unlike the Mayor of Dúrcal where the controversial installations are.

So, what was it all about? Well, firstly, we have included a lengthy article in the printed version of the magazine which comes out on Tuesday the 1st, but the gist of it is that the company that set up the water extraction & bottling plant has requested to be allowed to increase what they are taking out.

Since this Aquadeus, water-bottling plant was set up in 2019, springs and fountains that always brought forth water have dried up and the finger is being pointed towards the bottling plant.

The Mayor of Dúrcal has come under fire for not doing enough to stop the plant exploiting the local water table but he claims that his hands are tied and that the Junta de Andalucía which took it out of his hands. Furthermore, he claims he has written repeatedly to the Central Government and the Junta de Andalucía to do something about this worsening problem (despite all the recent rain) but there has been no response.

But it gets worse because the Junta is not only considering allowing Aquadeus to extract more water from the Dúrcal installations, but it is also considering a request for another water-bottling plant in nearby Villamena, which is only a handful of kilometres away and effectively tapping into the same water table.

It is precisely the accusation of ignoring people that the protest platform levels at the Mayor, whom they say does not attend to their written demands, etc.

Why was the 22nd chosen? Because it was the World Water Day, so what better day to hold it on!

Anyway, make sure you pick up a copy of the April edition of the Seaside, Costa Tropical & Valle de Lecrín Gazette for a more detailed explanation.

(News: Padul, Valle de Lecrin, Granada, Andalucia)

Keywords: Water-Bottling Plant, Protests, Water Table Exploitation, Mayor of Durcal, Under Fire, Wetlands, Antiguo Lavadero, Marquee, Live Music.

news, andalucia, granada, valle de lecrin, padul, water-bottling plant, protests, water table exploitation, mayor of durcal, under fire, wetlands, antiguo lavadero, marquee, live music

Reader’s comment: “Notwithstanding the damage to the environment in the respect of water extraction, the product (water) is then bottled in plastic further damaging the environment from plastics manufacture and still further from plastic waste. When will governments stop facilitating wholesale damage to the planet by unnecessary industries? I would suggest that very few people living in Spain actually need water bottled commercially in plastic.” – George