MiCharco
COAST & SANITATION

Projects & updates

Actions to improve water quality and protect Tenerife's coast

Explore official projects and measures related to wastewater, discharges and coastal protection, including who is responsible and the current status of each action.

Who is acting?

Prosecutors seek prison sentences over discharges from the Valle de Guimar industrial estate

According to the published reports, in August 2026 the public prosecutor filed charges against four mayors and former mayors over discharges from the Valle de Güímar industrial estate: Carmen Luisa Castro (mayor of Güímar), María Concepción Brito (mayor of Candelaria), José Gumersindo García Trujillo (former mayor of Candelaria) and José Juan Lemes Expósito (former mayor of Arafo). The alleged offences are dereliction of duty by omission and an environmental offence, with four years in prison and thirteen years of disqualification sought. The trial is set for 8 February 2027 at the Provincial Court. These are charges awaiting trial, not proven facts. No specific beach is identified and no official closure order is linked to these proceedings.

Date

26 Aug 2026

Type
Under investigation
MONITORING / ENFORCEMENT
Where

Valle de Güímar industrial estate · Güímar · Candelaria · Arafo · Tenerife

Who

Environmental Prosecutor's Office of Santa Cruz de TenerifeOrganiser

Güímar Town CouncilAuthority addressed

Candelaria Town CouncilAuthority addressed

Source
MEDIAelDiario.es / Canarias Ahora (opens in a new tab)
MEDIADiario de Avisos (opens in a new tab)

Six major projects to reduce wastewater discharges in Tenerife

The Cabildo is advancing six major hydraulic projects across Tenerife as part of a sanitation and wastewater treatment programme aimed at improving wastewater treatment, reducing discharges into the sea and increasing the reuse of treated water.

Date

2 Jul 2025

Type
In progress
SANITATIONINFRASTRUCTURE
Where

Tenerife · Granadilla de Abona · Guía de Isora · Santa Cruz de Tenerife · San Cristóbal de La Laguna · Rosario (El) · Puerto de la Cruz · Orotava (La) · Realejos (Los) · Arafo · Güímar · Candelaria

Who

Cabildo de Tenerife (island council)Public institutions

ACUAES (Aguas de las Cuencas de España)Public institutions

Tenerife Island Water CouncilPublic institutions

Source
OFFICIALTenerife Más Sostenible (opens in a new tab)

€33.6 million approved for six major hydraulic projects

The Cabildo approved €33.6 million to advance six major hydraulic infrastructure projects across Tenerife, including sanitation measures intended to reduce wastewater discharges.

This infrastructure action does not in itself imply any change in current bathing-water quality.

Date

2 Jul 2025

Type
In progress
SANITATIONINFRASTRUCTURE
Where

Granadilla de Abona · Guía de Isora · Santa Cruz de Tenerife · San Cristóbal de La Laguna · Rosario (El) · Puerto de la Cruz · Orotava (La) · Realejos (Los) · Arafo · Güímar · Candelaria · Tenerife

Who

Cabildo de Tenerife (island council)Public institutions

ACUAES (Aguas de las Cuencas de España)Public institutions

Tenerife Island Water CouncilPublic institutions

Source
OFFICIALCabildo de Tenerife (opens in a new tab)

More than €40 million invested in Valle de Güímar sanitation

More than €40 million was being invested in sanitation and wastewater treatment across the Valle de Güímar, including the regional treatment plant, pumping systems and municipal sewer infrastructure.

This infrastructure action does not in itself imply any change in current bathing-water quality.

Investment: Más de / More than

Date

1 Apr 2025

Type
In progress
SANITATIONTREATMENT
Where

Güímar, Candelaria and Arafo · Güímar · Candelaria · Arafo · Tenerife

Who

Cabildo de Tenerife (island council)Public institutions

Tenerife Island Water CouncilPublic institutions

Source
OFFICIALCabildo de Tenerife (opens in a new tab)

Valle de Güímar industrial wastewater plant enters operation

The industrial wastewater treatment facility in Valle de Güímar entered operation at approximately 1,000 cubic metres per day, with capacity for later expansion.

This infrastructure action does not in itself imply any change in current bathing-water quality.

Date

23 Feb 2025

Type
Completed
TREATMENTSANITATION
Where

Valle de Güímar industrial area · Güímar · Tenerife

Who

Cabildo de Tenerife (island council)Public institutions

Tenerife Island Water CouncilPublic institutions

Source
OFFICIALCabildo de Tenerife (opens in a new tab)

Key Valle de Güímar wastewater infrastructure completed

CIATF reported completion during this programme period of major Valle de Güímar infrastructure including Phase I of the regional wastewater treatment plant, the industrial treatment facility and the Arafo–Güímar TF-525 wastewater collector.

This infrastructure action does not in itself imply any change in current bathing-water quality.

Date

2023

Type
Completed
TREATMENTSANITATION
Where

Güímar, Arafo and Candelaria · Güímar · Arafo · Candelaria · Tenerife

Who

Tenerife Island Water CouncilPublic institutions

Source
OFFICIALConsejo Insular de Aguas de Tenerife (opens in a new tab)

Rehabilitation of Güímar wastewater pumping station awarded

The Cabildo awarded the rehabilitation of the Güímar wastewater pumping station. The project was intended to bring the previously unused facility back into service and convey wastewater towards treatment infrastructure.

This infrastructure action does not in itself imply any change in current bathing-water quality.

Date

17 Nov 2022

Type
Contract awarded
SANITATIONINFRASTRUCTURE
Where

Güímar · Tenerife

Who

Cabildo de Tenerife (island council)Public institutions

Source
OFFICIALCabildo de Tenerife (opens in a new tab)

CJEU imposes financial penalties on Spain for failing to fully comply with an earlier wastewater judgment

Following an earlier 2011 judgment, the Court of Justice imposed on Spain a lump sum of EUR 12 million and a penalty payment of EUR 10 950 000 for each six-month period of delay, with the effective amount reduced as compliance progressed. Tenerife was among the territories affected by the procedure, including the Valle de Güímar agglomeration.

The penalty was imposed on Spain, not on Tenerife or on any specific island council. The later sharing of those costs between administrations was settled in a separate procedure, whose official documentation is also linked. None of this describes the situation at a particular beach.

Date

25 Jul 2018

Type
Financial penalty
EU COMPLIANCE
Where

Spain

Who

European Union – Court of Justice of the European UnionPublic institutions

Source
OFFICIALEUR-Lex – Sentencia de 25 de julio de 2018, Asunto C-205/17 (opens in a new tab)
OFFICIALBoletín Oficial del Estado – Procedimiento de responsabilidad por costes de la sanción (opens in a new tab)

Showing 8 of 8 actions

Who is acting?

Public administrations, organisations and groups linked to the actions documented by MiCharco. Select one to see its documented actions.

Public bodies

Civil society and community groups