Although it has been a continual problem since urbanisation began, flooding has been getting worse in many parts of Spain in recent years, and the Vega Baja is no exception. Stress and damage caused by some of the most recent weather phenomenon is still raw in many places, and although the Government has pledged funding to try to prepare for the future, so far, only 6 out of the 27 municipalities eligible for funding have started, or in some cases finished, flood preparation works. There are another 12 municipalities that have awarded the works and will start them soon.
The funding comes from the Generalitat Valenciana, in a plan presented in July 2021, exclusively for the 27 municipalities of the region and that since January 2022 have sent money to Councils, who have been the ones who have decided which project to allocate the subsidy with which to minimise flooding caused by torrential rains.
Of the six municipalities that are advancing with the works, Los Montesinos has already completed the first performance, of the three that it has planned. It is the improvement of the sewerage network, in which 26,029 euro have been invested. It has also awarded two other works for the evacuation of rainwater. One in Las Lomas de la Herrada, with an investment of 100,000 euro and another in calle Clavelina, which flows into the Riegos de Levante canal on the bank of the Segura river, with an investment of 120,278 euro.
The rest of the municipalities that are advancing and have started the works framed in the Vega Renhace Plan of the Consell are Benferri, Benijófar, Callosa de Segura, Formentera del Segura and San Isidro. In the case of Benferri, it involves the construction of a pond to collect rainwater to be treated in the municipal sewage treatment plant with an investment of 495,195 euro. In Benijófar, work is being done to adapt and improve the existing regulation pond, improve the water drainage network and in the Cañada Marsá, with an investment of 400,000 euro. Callosa de Segura is well advanced in the construction of the rainwater collector on Calla Rambla Baja and the repair and restoration of the azarbe de Moncada, with an investment of 721,857 euro.
The sixth and last municipality with advanced works is San Isidro. The construction of a storm tank for the collection of rainwater through a landscaped depression located in the La Granadina industrial estate is in the final phase, with an investment of 273,566 euro. The Council will execute another work, with the total aid allocated, with 126,495 euro, with the installation of a sanitation network for the collection of rainwater in the avenue of Juan Carlos I.
Based on the amount received by the Generalitat, taking into account population criteria, land use and flood risk, the Town Halls determined how many projects and needs they could cover. For this reason, 44 projects distributed throughout the 27 municipalities of Vega Baja are contemplated. Of these, there are 17 projects that twelve municipalities have awarded the works for the evacuation of rainwater and minimisation of floods. This group is made up of Albatera, Benejúzar, Daya Nueva, Daya Vieja, Guardamar del Segura, Jacarilla, Los Montesinos, Pilar de la Horadada, Rojales, San Fulgencio, San Isidro and San Miguel de Salinas.
Albatera received 400,000 euro, which it will allocate to the work, already awarded, for the construction of a rainwater collector. Benejúzar, with the same amount, will allocate the aid of the Generalitat to the expansion of the water evacuation network. Also, Daya Nueva, awarded for 385,761 euro for the installation of a general rainwater collector in the urban area, and Daya Vieja, with 399,984 euro for the conditioning of the boulevard-gutter.
Guardamar del Segura, with 512,000 euro, will be allocated to the construction of rainwater collectors in calle Lepanto, calle Ausías March, and avenida Mediterráneo,and in Jacarilla, with 408,994 euros, it will be used to collect rainwater in various streets of the town. In the case of Pilar de la Horadada, it has five works already awarded that it will finance with a total of 400,000 euro and will be used for actions in Lo Monte, in Ronda de Levante, on Avenida La Venta, in the regeneration of Rambla de Pilar-extension existing boulevard and devices for monitoring the status of the rainwater network.
Rojales, with this first phase of aid from the Consell, has been awarded the works to improve the drainage of water from the area of Plaza de Los Suizos, Avenida Huelva and Calle Pontevedra and the reform of the La Bernada pumping station and the drive pipe for diversion of flows that affect the urban area through the northern basin. All this with a grant of 464,927 euro. San Fulgencio closes the group of Town Halls with awarded works. With 391,286 euro, it will build a collector on calle Camino del Convenio.
To this first phase of direct financing to the Town Halls of works to reduce floods and the evacuation of rainwater endowed with 16 million, is added the 13.5 million that the Consell approved in October as a second phase. This has the novelty that Crevillente was included to assign it to the district of San Felipe, since it is located in the geographical area of the Vega Baja floodplain.
