Alex Trelinski
ALICANTE council plans to spend over €100 million to fully recycle water in the city to end all discharges into the Mediterranean Sea.
One by-product will be the creation of a 21 kilometre continuous coastal promenade.
The project called, ‘Alicante, Green Heart’ is being supported by EU funding and will see the council working with the Hidraqua water company.
The aim is see all treated water in the city recycled rather than being channelled into the sea at various points of the coast away from beaches.
Alicante mayor, Luis Barcala, said: “This is a major commitment to urban sustainability to create a better environment.”
New parks and reservoirs are envisioned in the city similar to La Marjal park at Playa San Juan.
“This project unveils a new philosophy where not a single drop of water will go into the sea, “ Barcela added.
The council, in a statement, commented that they will ‘optimise water resources to transform the coastline and port area to create the longest promenade in the Mediterranean running for 21 kilometres’.
Alicante council and Hidraqua jointly run the Aguas de Alicante water utility company which will oversee the work.
Company director, Javier Diez, said: “The main challenge is to recycle all of the water from the Rincon de Leon and Monte Orgegia treatment plants in addition to building new tanks in urban areas.”
Diez suggested that a large amount of the recycled water would be used by farmers.
