Reclaimed water for irrigation in Gran Canaria: preparing filtration and pumping
If your farm is considering using reclaimed water, the first step is not to buy a filter or a pump. Start by confirming the available supply, the quality of the water that will reach your farm and your crop’s requirements. The new agreement for the Sureste area provides a specific context for assessing these issues in Gran Canaria.
What the Sureste de Gran Canaria agreement provides
On 1 October 2026 , the Mancomunidad del Sureste and the Consejo Insular de Aguas de Gran Canaria announced an agreement that provides for up to 1.6 million cubic metres of reclaimed water per year to enter the island’s network over four years. The text was published in the BOP de Las Palmas on 7 October 2026, notice 3.227.
The scheme connects production from the EDAR del Sureste wastewater treatment plant in Arinaga to the Las Palmas-Sur water reuse system. The institutional information also provides for supplies to rural areas of San Bartolomé de Tirajana when circumstances require it. This does not mean that every plot already has a connection or an allocated flow rate: each farm must check its own situation.
The agreement brings together existing infrastructure. Its nominal capacities should not be interpreted as a guaranteed supply to any individual farm. Before investing, ask for the access conditions, supply schedule, available pressure, water quality documentation and each party’s responsibilities.
What data you need before adapting your installation
Prepare a brief information sheet with the farm’s location, crop, area, irrigation zones, operating hours and current consumption. Attach a diagram of the irrigation headworks, the filter models, the pump set and the installed emitters. If there is clogging or differences between zones, describe when these occur.
| Data to request | Decision it helps you prepare |
|---|---|
| Available flow rate and pressure at the delivery point | Check whether the existing network can operate in zones and whether it needs additional pumping. |
| Analysis and variability of the water supplied | Assess compatibility with the crop, emitters and proposed treatment. |
| Dripper specifications and recommendations | Define the filtration rating and operating conditions with the manufacturer. |
| Electricity consumption and volume actually applied | Compare the current cost with adaptation scenarios. |
| Access, storage and restrictions on use | Define the works, operating requirements and obligations before ordering equipment. |
The FAO guide to water quality for agriculture distinguishes between salinity, infiltration and toxicity from specific ions. Request a representative analysis that includes, as appropriate, suspended solids, turbidity, pH, conductivity, sodium, chlorides and boron, as well as the required health-related parameters. A conductivity reading gives an indication of salts, but does not replace a full agronomic assessment. Suitability also depends on the crop, soil and irrigation management.
Filtration and pumping: choosing for the water your farm will receive
Filtration to protect localised irrigation
The FAO explains that emitter clogging can have physical, chemical or biological causes. It is therefore important to identify the problem before selecting a treatment. A filter that traps particles cannot, on its own, address every clogging mechanism. Standard screen, disc or granular media filters do not remove dissolved salts or replace disinfection.
Ask for a proposal specifying the design flow rate, filtration criteria, pressure losses and cleaning procedure. It should explain how wash water is discharged, which consumables the equipment needs and how its performance is checked. The water filtration and ultrafiltration solutions from HidroSoluciones Canarias can serve as a starting point for discussing a specific requirement.
Pumping and zone control
Gather the pressure measurements at the inlet to the irrigation headworks and in each zone, together with flow rates and operating schedules. The calculation must include elevation differences, losses through filters, pipes and valves, and the flow and pressure required for backwashing. Ask the technician to check these data against the pump curve and network design. The proposal should justify the chosen equipment and explain how pressure will be maintained as demand changes.
Do not fit a larger pump as a precaution without first assessing the installation. Ask for comparable alternatives with the same usable flow rate, the same service conditions and the expected operating costs. If automatic control is proposed, specify the sensors, alarms and who will respond to any incident.
Health-related water quality and additional treatments
Reclaimed water must not be considered drinking water. Its agricultural use must be appropriate for the crop, irrigation method and authorised conditions, taking into account Regulation (EU) 2020/741 and the applicable Spanish legislation.
The Spanish Water Reuse Regulation, approved by Royal Decree 1085/2024, links quality requirements to the intended use and risk management. The supply documentation should make it possible to identify the conditions that apply to your farm.
Before proposing additional disinfection, ask the system operator to determine what is required and where. Installing UV treatment or dosing equipment does not automatically establish suitability for every crop. Measures covering storage, distribution and use must be consistent with the risk management plan and the relevant authorisations.
How to compare the cost of irrigation water
To compare quotations, use the same spreadsheet and reference period. Include purchased water, energy, cleaning water, consumables, servicing and the investment spread over the service life agreed for the assessment. Relate this expenditure to the useful volume applied, rather than comparing equipment purchase prices alone.
As a comparison tool: annual water and operating costs plus the annualised investment cost, divided by the useful cubic metres applied per year. This is an estimate to support a decision; actual savings are verified afterwards using recorded data. Ask for scenarios showing what happens if consumption changes or cleaning becomes more frequent.
The agreement does not provide grants for purchasing filters or pumps. If you are considering funding an adaptation, distinguish technical feasibility from the eligibility of each expense. Our article on grants for irrigation water in the Canary Islands explains this distinction. Check the dates and official rules of each call before relying on funding.
Preparing a technical enquiry before committing to equipment
The useful outcome of this stage is a written scope: what will be retained, what will be modified, which documents are needed and which measurements will enable the work to be accepted. For an irrigation community, add the combined demand and how responsibilities will be allocated. For an engineering consultancy or installation company, identify the interfaces with the network and the conditions for coordinating the work.
HidroSoluciones Canarias can receive your enquiry and assess the scope of its water treatment solutions with you. Any collaboration or supply arrangement will be defined according to the installation data; this does not imply that the company is involved in this agreement or that products are available within a specified timeframe.
Planning an irrigation system adaptation?
Send us the location, crop, flow rate, available water analysis, existing equipment and planned timescale. Tell us whether you need to assess filtration, an additional treatment or collaboration with your engineering team to prepare a proposal.
Discuss your technical requirementsSources and review date
Information reviewed on 13 October 2026. The checks and technical questions in this article are for guidance and must be defined for each individual installation.