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La Concepción reservoir drained again as capacity is reached

Water being let out from the dam on Tuesday.
Water being let out from the dam on Tuesday. / JOSELE

  • With more rain forecast and still no infrastructure in place to divert excess to other reservoirs, 2.27 cubic hectometres had to be drained from the water supply for the western Costa del Sol

  • IGNACIO LILLO | malaga

Draining had to start on the La Concepción reservoir in Istán, near Marbella, which supplies the western Costa del Sol, on Tuesday with the infrastructure at almost 95 per cent capacity and with further rain forecast for this weekend.

Following the recent downpours, supplies measured 58.6 cubic hectometres, eight more than in the same week of the previous year, according to the data provided by Hidrosur. A relatively small reservoir in relation to the area it serves, its maximum capacity is 61.85 cubic hectometres.

Management have decided to release a total of 2.27 cubic hectometres, according to data provided by the Andalusian government's Malaga office. The dam was opened at 8.20pm on Tuesday and remained open until 9am on Friday.

Sources say that if it rains again over the basin (which it is predicted to do on Saturday), this draining will need to be repeated.

Water needed elsewhere

This water, however, is being sent straight to the sea while there is need for it on the other side of the province, in the Axarquía.

As the high-capacity bypass has still not been built, there is concern in the Axarquía, one of the areas with the highest consumption due to its subtropical crop industries, where La Viñuela reservoir is at just 40 per cent.

The Ciudadanos MP for Malaga, Guillermo Díaz, said: "Once again today we are throwing away water that we will miss tomorrow". He blamed a lack of commitment from central government.

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