Finally, with the little rain we experienced from time to time, we were able to witness remarkable improvements in the water supply of Costa del Sol. La Concepción reservoir between Marbella and Istán made this awesome jump. There’s exactly two months between when the reservoir had only 97 cubic hectometers and now exceeding 170. Thanks to storms Monica and Nelson and the weeks of constant runoff, La Concepción has made quite some history. It is now the reservoir with the highest water levels in its history. Sadly enough, one cannot truly relax on this issue as warmer summer days are coming soon. Such days will impact the current water supply levels. Due to the threat of levels sinking, La Concepción can only guarantee water supply for 8 months, with no certainty after this period.
Alternative water supply
Although a proposal for the expansion project was made, the Junta chose the Gobralmedina project instead. The Gobralmedina project, set on the Guadiaro River, is an alternative project to supply raw water to the Costa del Sol. Despite the expected drought conditions, predictions for the near future bring some hope. Due to Marbella’s new desalination plant, La Concepción could have around 30 million hm3 of water by October 2024.
The desalination plant could produce around 1 million cubic meters monthly for the first few months. However, by autumn, it is expected that this technology will produce double that amount, with 2 million cubic meters. On the other hand, the Axarquia region still faces a serious water shortage with not much improvement. This means that Malaga will soon stop supplying water to its neighbors, as it’s time to prioritise their own city. Even though the water conditions in Costa del Sol are still not the best, this improvement brings hope to citizens. Now, let’s hope that Malaga gets extra rainy days or nights that will contribute to the improvement of the water supply.