Acuamed, the state-owned company overseeing the project, approved a further delay of six months and 18 days on 24 September. The expansion was originally due to finish in February 2026 and is intended to raise annual production from 80 to 120 cubic hectometres. The latest timetable means the works will have accumulated more than 13 months of delay.
The additional water is intended for farming and urban supply across the Vega Baja and nearby municipalities, although commissioning and testing mean the new volumes may not be available until the second half of 2027. The project includes new seawater pumps, a 4,000-square-metre building and five new reverse-osmosis units, alongside changes to existing equipment.
The contract was initially valued at €89.49 million including VAT. After five price changes, the main contract budget has risen to €97.6 million. A separate connection project is still needed to move some of the water towards Murcia and the wider post-transfer network.
Reporting based on Diario INFORMACION.