Page 12 - Demo

12 | Gazette Life | December 2025WATER DEADLINEDecember 12th is the deadline for Canal Gesti%u00f3n Lanzarote, the island%u2019s main water supplier, to find another company willing to take over the contract for Lanzarote%u2019s water supply.In October, the Lanzarote Water Consortium, a committee composed of the Cabildo President and the seven Council Mayors, agreed to pause legal actions alleging breach of contract if Canal could find a company to take over the existing contract, which extends until 2042.The Consortium accuses Canal of not fulfilling contractual agreements regarding investment, maintenance of the supply and reducing water losses. Rural areas of Lanzarote have suffered continuous water cuts in recent years, and the resulting political pressure has resulted in a change of attitude by the ruling group on Lanzarote%u2019s Cabildo, who had previously been supportive of Canal Gesti%u00f3n. Mariano Gonz%u00e1lez, the CEO of Canal%u2019s Madrid-based parent company, claimed in November that water management on Lanzarote had been %u201cdisastrous%u201d and placed the blame on the Consortium. The company expected to start making a profit in 2021, but has instead accumulated losses of %u20ac70 million. Gonz%u00e1lez attributed the Lanzarote company%u2019s losses to the waste of more than 50% of the water produced. %u201cIt is impossible to reduce losses without investment. And the investment is not the responsibility of Canal Gesti%u00f3n Lanzarote; it is the responsibility of the owner of the infrastructure network,%u201d said Gonz%u00e1lez.He also pointed out that water tariffs have not been updated for years while production costs have risen, and that this made water production unprofitable %u201cno matter how much is produced.%u201d%u201cThe first thing that needs to be done is to update the tariffs,%u201d he claimed, pointing out that two Supreme Court rulings had supported Canal Gesti%u00f3n%u2019s right to raise charges, which have not been increased for almost 15 years. Lanzarote%u2019s public water utility, Inalsa, was dissolved in 2013 and the service was privatized after incurring huge debts and entering receivership. However, a return to public ownership is favoured by three Mayors, although this option would also involve huge legal costs. GAZETTE | FOCUSinsurancefi Home fi Car fi Life Insurancefi Commercial fi Liabilityfi Pensions fi SavingsDISCOUNTS FOR LOYAL CLIENTS & NEW CUSTOMERS! For all your insurancerequirementsTel: 928 517 709 Mob: 678 451 168 info@fia-lanzarote.comwww.fia-lanzarote.comThe Health Company thattakes Complete Care of youDiscounts available on various health care products.CHRISTMAS IS ONCE A YEAR BUT SARA NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT ALL YEAR.SO MANY LOOKING FOR A FAMILYA meeting of the Lanzarote Water Consortium.