Southern Desalination Plant to Be Built at Matas Blancas

The approval of its location is a crucial step for the Cabildo and the Government of the Canary Islands to begin drafting the essential water‑supply plan for the island’s south.

The future desalination plant for the southern part of Fuerteventura will be situated in the Matas Blancas area (Costa Calma), within the municipality of Pájara. The location was unanimously approved today by the General Board of the Insular Water Council of Fuerteventura, marking a necessary infrastructure to decentralise production and improve water supply across the island.

Within the Cabildo of Fuerteventura’s water‑supply strategy, establishing a production centre in the south is a priority action. It aims to reduce dependence on Puerto del Rosario and to boost water flow throughout the island, according to island president Lola García.

“From the Cabildo we were clear about this from the start, so we have been working on it as a top priority. Today, from the General Board of the CIAF, we take a fundamental step by fixing its location based on technical criteria.”
“The approval of the site allows us to continue developing the basic project and to carry out all the necessary actions for its drafting and subsequent contracting,” García said.

The president added that the achievement was possible thanks to the commitment and excellent coordination between the Cabildo of Fuerteventura, the Government of the Canary Islands, and the collaboration of the Pájara City Council.

Water Councilor Adargoma Hernández explained that the infrastructure is included in the Insular Hydrological Plan, so it is the responsibility of the Insular Water Council to decide its location based on studies carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Territorial Policy, Territorial Cohesion and Water of the Canary Government, through the Canary Islands Technological Institute (ITC).

He thanked the Pájara City Council for its key role, noting that the council has “always collaborated so that we can have, as soon as possible, a desalination plant that will meet the island’s growing demand. It will start with an initial production of around 15,000 cubic metres per day, with the intention of increasing capacity progressively.”

The preliminary site‑selection study for the southern Fuerteventura desalination plant relies on technical criteria such as:

• communications and access to the area,
• prior anthropisation,
• facilities for electricity supply,
• possibilities for installing renewable energy,
• soil characteristics.

It also takes into account the protection of highly sensitive zones, including ZEPA, ZEC, Sites of Community Importance (LIC), and flood‑risk areas.

José García Leal, General Director of Water for the Government of the Canary Islands, stated that “this is an important step to guarantee Fuerteventura’s water future, especially in its southern zone where demand keeps rising and solid, well‑planned, long‑term infrastructure is needed. Our goal is clear: ensure water supply through responsible planning, anticipating challenges and avoiding improvised solutions. Fuerteventura needs robust, well‑thought infrastructure, and we are working on that from the Ministry of Territorial Policy, Territorial Cohesion and Water, headed by Manuel Miranda.”

From the Pájara City Council, area councilor Alexis Alonso thanked the Cabildo for this fundamental step for the south of Fuerteventura, which will improve services for citizens in areas experiencing population growth.

Once the location of the new industrial water‑production centre (EDAM) is approved—initially capable of producing 10,000–15,000 m³ per day in the Matas Blancas (Costa Calma) zone—the agreement will be forwarded to the Ministry of Territorial Policy, Territorial Cohesion and Water of the Canary Government. There, the required administrative procedures will be carried out to develop the project, paving the way for the necessary authorisations, contracting, and eventual construction of the plant.