Redaccion
The insular vice president and water advisor, Juan Ramón Felipe, emphasizes the importance of prioritizing the necessary procedures for the final approval of this document before 2027, when the currently valid document expires.
The Insular Water Council has initiated the procedure for the review of the fourth cycle of the Hydrological Plan of the Hydrographic Demarcation of La Palma, an essential document that provides a roadmap for the coming years on the Island in water matters.
In this regard, the Insular Water Council has progressed in the main documents that make up the fourth cycle plan, which includes a work program that includes the main tasks and activities to be carried out, the planned schedule, the general demarcation study, and consultation methods.
The vice president and water advisor of the Cabildo de La Palma, Juan Ramón Felipe, highlights that the government team has prioritized the update of this document, which is necessary to adapt the water planning of the Island’s hydrographic demarcations to the real needs of the Island in this area.
«This is a procedure that we must implement to progress and approve before 2027, the year when the validity of the current Plan expires, which is in the process of final approval, in order to define the necessary actions for the proper use of this essential resource on our island,» defends Felipe.
The vice president recalls that these documents are updated every six years, so the new plan will cover the period between 2027 and 2033 and will allow for adjustments necessary for its implementation, until they are updated again in the next six-year period.
In this regard, Juan Ramón Felipe emphasizes that the approval of the Insular Hydrological Plan of the Hydrographic Demarcation of La Palma, third cycle (2021-2027), has been delayed due to the eruption of the Tajogaite volcano, which caused the priorities of the insular Corporation to change in order to respond to the emergency and its consequences, and later it has been given a significant boost to progress in its approval.
For this reason, it is necessary to review the hydrological plan, taking into account, among other things, that the guideline foresees that the hydrological plans must be reviewed by the end of 2027, and also that Spain is actively working with the European Administration to adjust the requirements of this fourth cycle and subsequent cycles in order to achieve the high-level objectives pursued for the entire European Union.
Main changes to the plan
As stated in the proposal of the Insular Water Council, in the current framework of the hydrological plan review, the fundamental aspects that arise from compliance with the Water Framework Directive must be strengthened, such as addressing water deficits, meeting environmental objectives, mitigating flood risks, and governance, especially with measures aimed at providing our water system with sufficient economic-financial stability.
