Report on Irrigation Water at Hacienda Riquelme (Executive Summary)

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Scarcity of irrigation water

Hacienda Riquelme has been significantly impacted by a scarcity of irrigation water in 2021 and 2022. The scarcity of water has been driven by a range of increasingly complex issues not least of which: a severe drought in the winter of 2020/21, CHS’ withdrawal of the concession to draw irrigation water from the Valdelentisco desalination plant at the end of September 2021 and a complicated, and unstable, irrigation infrastructure.

Historical and current developments

The initial provision for, and ongoing development of, irrigation water to meet the needs of the Hacienda Riquelme urbanisation was complex. Polaris World constructed a reservoir and set up a separate company (CREA) to deliver irrigation water to the urbanisation. There were numerous problems with the operation of this company and infrastructure. With Polaris World in receivership, the involvement of an asset management company alongside the absence of private agreement between HRGR and ACUAMED added further complexity. These issues prompted HRGR to develop new supporting infrastructure and to obtain irrigation water direct from the Valdelentisco desalination plant. Since then, the irrigation of communal areas (and some aspects of water management and storage) on the urbanisation has been increasingly dependent on interoperability with GNK’s irrigation infrastructure for the golf course. Finally, given CHS’ withdrawal of the concession to draw irrigation water from Valdelentisco, HRGR invited tenders to provide landscaping and gardening support that was expected to provide benefits such as lower maintenance and reduced demand for irrigation water.

Reducing demand for irrigation water is essential due to the following issues. Spain has a structural water deficit, the impacts of which are particularly acute in south-eastern regions and especially so in times of drought. CHS’ principal objective, as the managing agency for water in Spain, is to ensure the provision of water to meet the needs of: 1) centres of population and 2) commercial activities. CHS must balance increasing consumer demand, inconsistent and diminishing supplies, whilst mitigating the impacts of climate and environmental change.

Whilst CHS has agreed to provide a temporary concession for irrigation water in June 2022, there is a need to develop an independent, sustainable supply of irrigation water. The Board are currently implementing a “No-Irrigation Landscaping Project”, resurrecting an STV proposal that received considerable opposition from owners due to the severity of hard landscaping and excessive cost (see note 1). Hard landscaping might help to constrain demand for water but will have significant negative impacts on the natural environment of Hacienda Riquelme. The natural environment is one solution, if not the most effective solution, to capturing and sequestering carbon (emissions) over the medium to longer-term, safeguarding the Murcian landscape and maintaining the regional habitat for all forms of indigenous wildlife. Ensuring a sustainable supply of irrigation water will help to combat climate change, biodiversity loss and other detrimental environmental impacts and retain the unique characteristics we all enjoy as owners on the urbanisation.

Developing a sustainable supply of irrigation water

There are a range of potential options for securing an independent and sustainable supply of irrigation water. The question to be asked is which option, or range of options, would best meet the needs of the Hacienda Riquelme urbanisation. Communication 41 (April 2021) reported that “water (see note 2) is discharged from the buildings in Phase 1 to the drainage of the golf course. It is taken to the new pumps installed at the bottom of Phase 6 and pumped to one of the five lakes of GNK”. Whilst this brackish water has high salinity, this is reduced to acceptable levels when mixed with the lake water, to permit its use for irrigation purposes.

Communication 58 (June 2022) reported that ““grey water” … from the apartments … goes to the white house (storm tank) at the bottom of Phase 6, and then pumped to the treatment plant at the top of Phase 4, outside the Resort where it is recycled. With regards to rainwater, it goes into the drains and follow the same process [to] water from the apartments. The treatment plant is managed by the Town Hall of Murcia.” Interestingly, despite having relatively little focus on alternative solutions to the water shortage previously, the current Board has a new objective covering the impacts of climate change and the collection of water resources (such as rainwater) for irrigation purposes (see note 3).

Independently of the above, a formal information request, responded to by CHS (March 2022), has established that the urbanisation of Hacienda Riquelme is included within an agreement (or concession) to use regenerated wastewater for the purposes of irrigation for golf course and gardens covering an area of 332.7 ha to a maximum annual volume of 1,589,039 m3. The agreement is in the name of SAREB S.A. and GNK Desarrollos S.L. Whilst there is a need to ascertain flows into and the share of water available at each point, assuming proportionality to population, the volume available could be substantial (see note 4). Subsequently it has emerged that CHS has reported correct formal paperwork is available to support requests for water concessions as evidenced by other urbanisations with access to irrigation water.

Recommendations to the Hacienda Riquelme Board

1. Explore all possibilities for collecting and storing brackish water, rainwater and grey water to help provide a sustainable solution to the scarcity of irrigation water to maintain the natural landscape of the urbanisation, sustain the ecosystem and indigenous wildlife (flora and fauna), and maximise positive environmental impacts.
2. Investigate / obtain the correct paperwork required to obtain irrigation water from CHS.
3. Given the highly technical nature of 1 & 2, a reputable consultancy should be engaged to obtain and complete the necessary CHS paperwork and the following two actions.
4. Undertake a thorough environmental impact assessment and costs benefits analysis to support the development of a sustainable solution for irrigation water.
5. Advise on a practical solution to the urbanisation’s water irrigation needs that is either independent of GNK or further develops the interoperability currently in force to of the golf course and communal areas.

Notes

1. Communication 83 - No-irrigation landscaping project - Path forward 7 July 2022. The STV proposal was set out in Communication 11 - Gardening Landscaping 31 January 2022. A proposal from Globularia was viewed positively by owners not least of which due to its environmental and cost benefits over and above that of STV.
2. That is water in the phreatic level under the Phase 1 buildings.
3. Rainwater is not currently collected. Communication 41 – Irrigation Water 30 April 2021also reported that “the tanks at Phase 7 are not suitable to store rainwater to be used on the irrigation due to the difficulties of additives to keep it from going stagnant and stopping mosquitos”.
4. CHS response to a formal information request. The agreement covers three wastewater treatment plants (EDARs) namely: EDAR of the "El Valle-La Loma" urbanization; EDAR (WWTP) of the "Hacienda Riquelme" urbanization and the municipal EDAR (WWTP) of Roldán/Balsicas/Lo Ferro. Information request to the Oficina de Información Ambiental - Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el Reto Demográfico. SAREB S.A. is a divestment company and “bad bank” majority owned by the Spanish government – Source: Spanish News Today 19012022.

Alternative Landscape Group

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