Guadalhorce irrigators fear bill for modernising ageing irrigation

Some irrigators in the Guadalhorce valley fear they will not be able to pay for modernising their irrigation systems, according to Diario Sur. The debate matters to farmers in the area and to anyone following how water infrastructure in Málaga province is paid for.

Key facts

• Project value: the modernisation of the Guadalhorce irrigation systems is valued at €60 million, according to Diario Sur.
• Who is pushing it: the Junta Central de Usuarios (the central body representing water users) has begun steps to reactivate the project.
• Who is worried: the Asociación de Pequeños Regantes de Málaga (APREMA), which represents small irrigators.
• The concern: the cost could fall mainly on farm owners if new installations and the use of reclaimed water are charged to them.

A debate about the bill

Diario Sur says the modernisation reopens a debate that goes beyond the need to improve ageing infrastructure. The central question is who will pay to transform the systems, and how far farmers will be able to afford it.

The Junta Central de Usuarios has started work to revive a project valued at €60 million, the newspaper reports.

What APREMA says

APREMA warns of the economic difficulties that many farms could face if the new installations, and the use of reclaimed water (treated wastewater reused for irrigation), end up being paid for mainly by their owners.

According to Diario Sur, the association does not question the need to modernise the system. Its objection is to the bill that could come with it.

What to watch

The report as summarised here does not set out how the cost would be split. For farmers and residents in the Guadalhorce area, the key point to follow is how the funding of the project is eventually shared. The full report is available on the Diario Sur website.