The price of water used for agricultural irrigation in southern Gran Canaria has undergone a progressive transformation in recent decades, marked by the scarcity of natural resources, the development of desalination and treatment infrastructure, and the growing dependence on public subsidies.
In the 1960s and 1970s, water came primarily from underground sources, such as wells and galleries, and from small reservoirs fed by runoff. Irrigation communities, water estates, and various private companies managed distribution. In this context, the price per cubic meter of water ranged between 10 and 30 pesetas (approximately €0,06 to €0,18), although during periods of drought it reached €0,48.
The current price of agricultural water varies depending on its source: reclaimed water costs between €0,25 and €0,45 per cubic meter; unsubsidized desalinated water costs between €0,80 and €1,20 per cubic meter; publicly subsidized water costs between €0,60 and €0,90 per cubic meter; and groundwater from private galleries can fetch between €1 and €1,50 per cubic meter during periods of scarcity.
The growth of tourism and urban development in the following decades, especially since the 0,30s, increased the demand for water on the southern slope. The first desalination plants were built, initially intended to supply tourism and residential water. Tourism development displaced some agricultural use of groundwater and modified the price structure. During this period, the average cost of agricultural water ranged between €0,70 and €XNUMX per cubic meter, with notable differences between areas.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, the agricultural water supply system has diversified. Traditional sources have been supplemented by desalinated water and reclaimed water from treatment plants.
The pricing system is influenced by several structural factors: the high energy cost of desalination, the limited availability of natural resources, the state of water infrastructure, the fragmentation of the distribution network, and the need for public intervention through subsidies, primarily from the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and the Canary Islands government.
The Gran Canaria Hydrological Plan includes measures to improve the efficiency of agricultural water use, expand wastewater reuse, and guarantee competitive prices for the primary sector, especially in the context of climate change and pressure on agricultural land.
