This is the 30km pipeline that will put an end to water supply problems in seven Malaga towns and villages

Eugenio Cabezas

Axarquía

Monday, 21 April 2025, 16:24

The abundant rainfall so far this year has meant that Malaga province has tripled its water reserves in just twelve months. However, the heavy rainfall has also caused considerable damage to all types of public infrastructure and farms throughout the province.

In terms of supply, one of the major black spots is the general pipeline that runs through the Benamargosa river valley, supplying upstream water to the towns of Benamargosa, Almáchar, El Borge, Cútar and Comares in the Axarquía area to the east of the province.

On two occasions damage has been recorded that led to these towns and villages being cut off for several days. The first episode, the most serious, occurred as a result of the historic flood of 13 November. For several weeks these Axarquía municipalities had to use water tanker trucks to refill their municipal water tanks.

Subsequently, last month there was another serious breakage, although this time it was repaired much more quickly. Given this situation, the Mancomunidad association of town halls in the Axarquía, owner of the public supply and sewerage company Axaragua, which in turn owns the infrastructure, has commissioned a technical study to renovate this pipe, enlarging its diameter and route, so that it can also serve Riogordo and Colmenar.

The project drafted by the regional government contemplates an investment of around 12 million euros to completely renovate the pipeline and extend it to these two new municipalities, which would be added to the 14 municipalities already served by Axaragua's upstream water supply service. In total, the new route would be around 30 kilometres of pipeline. The aim is to increase the diameter of the pipeline to improve the supply to these seven Axarquía towns and villages, which have a total registered population of more than 12,000 inhabitants.

Both the Junta de Andalucía and the Diputación have committed to collaborate in financing the work. It is expected that Axaragua will also contribute to the cost, although the public company currently has a debt of around ten million euros, between bank loans and outstanding payments to the Junta de Andlaucía and other suppliers.

In February, the Mancomunidad approved an increase of 27% in the tariff for upstream supply and up to 35% for treatment in order to pay off some of its debts. With these increases, the president of the Mancomunidad and Axaragua, Jorge Martín, told SUR that he was confident of being able to reverse "the disastrous economic management that we inherited from the two previous corporations".

The Mancomunidad is finalising the signing of an agreement with the Junta and the Diputación in order to specify the financing and implement this ambitious action to renovate this pipeline that runs through the Benamargosa river valley. Martín emphasised that with the spectacular increase in reserves in La Viñuela reservoir, water resources are guaranteed for the population and agriculture for at least two years, even if there is no significant rainfall.

In any case, he has advocated continuing to make efficient use of water resources, and is committed to maintaining and increasing regenerated water and calling on the central government to build a desalination plant. In recent weeks, despite the notable improvement in the reserves in La Viñuela, the wells of the river Chíllar in Nerja continue to contribute around one hundred litres per second to the system, as Axaragua is transferring around 300 litres per second to Malaga city, due to maintenance work at the El Atabal plant.