Alhaurín de la Torre unveils 1.6-million-euro plan to prevent future flash floods

The scheme will install a new stormwater drainage network and reorganise part of the local sewerage system.

Works will focus on the La Calera and Huerta Alta areas, where new high-capacity stormwater collector pipes will be installed to improve drainage and reduce the risk of flooding during heavy rain. The contract is worth 1,666,795.38 euros, including tax, and is expected to take eight months to complete.

The announcement follows the unveiling earlier this week of a separate 2.5-million-euro flood-prevention project in the town centre, which also includes the creation of additional parking spaces.

Mayor Joaquín Villanova said the new scheme would completely reorganise the stormwater drainage network. The aim is to divert water from local streams and help prevent flash flooding in the southern part of the urban area, including neighbourhoods such as Carranque, which was badly hit during the autumn 2024 DANA.

The project will be financed through a grant from Spain's Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, under the national programme to repair water infrastructure damaged by severe weather.

Technical studies found that the existing drainage system cannot cope with the volume of water generated during intense downpours. Calle Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente and Calle Cabo de Gata are currently served by an undersized collector pipe.

Avenida de la Calera, meanwhile, lacks an adequate stormwater network altogether, causing water to build up around its roundabout before flowing into lower-lying areas.

To address this, the project has two main elements. The first involves building a new stormwater drainage network, with large-capacity collector pipes, new road gullies and surface drainage systems that will capture runoff from higher ground and channel it safely into the Arroyo del Gato, a local stream.

The second involves reorganising the sewerage network by separating wastewater flows and modifying parts of the existing system, so sewage can flow by gravity rather than needing pumping stations. That should cut energy consumption, maintenance costs and the risk of breakdowns.

The works will run along sections of Calle José Espronceda, Avenida de la Calera, Calle Cabo de Gata and Calle Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente, as well as Avenida Mar Cantábrico, Calle Arroyo Hondo and Calle Océano Pacífico. Parts of the existing infrastructure in these areas will also need to be reorganised to accommodate other underground utility networks.

The scheme includes reinforced-concrete stormwater collector pipes up to 1.5 metres in diameter, designed to withstand extreme rainfall, alongside new wastewater pipes. Once the underground works are finished, the road surface will be reinstated.

Construction will be concentrated mainly on the carriageway, with pedestrian access maintained wherever possible. Engineers have also planned measures to avoid disrupting existing water, electricity, gas and telecommunications networks.

Announcing the tender, the town hall said it represented "a further step in our strategy to modernise the municipality's water infrastructure and adapt to the effects of climate change, strengthening the safety of residents and homes through a much more efficient drainage network that's better prepared for extreme weather events."