Work nearly complete to provide 25 per cent of Malaga's water supply from underground

One of the current projects under way to increase the water supply in Malaga city, seriously debilitated, as in all areas, by the drought, is expected to be complete by May.

The Aljaima and Fahala wells in the municipality of Cártama are being prepared to supply 400 litres per second to the city's mains network. This will provide much-needed relief as levels in the Guadalhorce-Limonero reservoirs are at record lows.

The wells, located close to the confluence between the Guadalhorce and Grande rivers, will contributed 12.6 cubic hectometres of water a year, which is a quarter of the city's demand (around 54 cubic hectometres).

Local councillor for environment sustainability Penélope Gómez said on Monday that the part of the project being carried out by the city hall was progressing well and would be complete within the next couple of months.

Meanwhile the regional agriculture ministry is spending six million euros on making wells usable. This water catchment system was created during the major drought of 1995 but was damaged by the floods of 2012. Flood water swept away pumps, pipes and electrical panels, among other equipment.

The flood also destroyed the small Aljaima dam, although this was repaired a few years ago and in February provided all the water the city needed for ten days. The floods also rendered wells on the left side of the Guadalhorce unusable and the city's water company, Emasa, has been working on them for the last year. Four wells are already providing 200 litres a second. Cleaning of another four is under way.