For centuries, Tenerife has obtained a large part of its freshwater from its volcanic underground. Through water galleries and wells, water is channelled from natural reservoirs to agricultural areas, villages and tourist zones. However, a new report by Fundación Renovables warns that these reserves are becoming increasingly difficult to replenish. According to the study, all four of Tenerife’s underground water bodies are in a poor quantitative condition. In other words, more water is being extracted than nature can replace.
Available water becoming increasingly scarce
The pressure is particularly high in the south and south-west of the island. Agriculture remains the largest consumer. In Guía de Isora, around 14.1 million cubic metres of water are used for irrigation each year, while Arona consumes approximately 10.4 million cubic metres. This is partly due to banana cultivation and the significant expansion of irrigated farmland. Agriculture is economically important to Tenerife, but as a result, the available water supply is becoming increasingly scarce.
Population growth and tourism also play a clear role. A resident of the Canary Islands uses an average of around 150 litres of water per day. For a guest staying in a five-star hotel, consumption can rise to between 600 and 1,000 litres per overnight stay. This water is used not only for showers and toilets, but also for swimming pools, spas, gardens, laundries and the production of food for hotels and restaurants.
Less natural replenishment
At the same time, rainfall on Tenerife is becoming less regular. Due to the island’s volcanic landscape, large rivers and lakes are almost entirely absent, making rainfall that seeps into the ground particularly important. According to the report, the proportion of water replenishing the underground reservoirs has fallen in recent decades from a historical level of 36 per cent to around 29 per cent. Longer dry periods and higher temperatures are making the problem worse.
To reduce its dependence on groundwater, Tenerife is increasingly using desalinated seawater. Desalination has now become indispensable, especially in densely populated and tourist-oriented coastal areas. However, the process requires a great deal of electricity. When that energy still comes from fossil fuels, the production of drinking water also generates additional emissions.
Large amounts of water lost in transit
Another major concern is the condition of the water supply network. Tenerife’s hydrological plan estimates that around 28 per cent of the water produced is not billed. Part of this water is lost through leaks, ageing pipelines or inaccurate measurements. In some local networks, the actual level of water loss may be considerably higher.
Fundación Renovables is therefore calling not only for increased water production, but above all for conservation, the reuse of treated wastewater and a thorough modernisation of the distribution networks. Sensors and monitoring systems could help detect leaks more quickly. It has also been proposed that new tourism projects should be assessed more carefully to determine whether sufficient water is available.
No immediate interruption to the water supply has been announced. Nevertheless, the warning makes it clear that water on Tenerife is not an unlimited resource. The island’s future will therefore increasingly depend on responsible consumption, improved infrastructure, water reuse and energy-efficient alternatives.
Photo: AI/ChatGPT
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