- Another delivery day is planned for Tuesday August 20th, and from this afternoon water tanks for self-supply are expected to be set up at the entrance of Santa María Magdalena school on Alicante Avenue, the sports area and Civil Protection headquarters.
This Friday morning, before the official start of the water bottle delivery campaign promoted by the government of El Poble Nou de Benitatxell as an emergency measure facing the lack of drinking water due to the drought, some people were already waiting to take the first stocks. And a few minutes after ten o’clock in the morning, the first queues began to be formed in order to obtain the most precious commodity at the moment: drinking water.
Despite the large influx, especially in the first hour, the distribution went smoothly: people arrived, stood in one of the three queues distributed in alphabetical order according to the address of their home, showed their ID card and address, and took their corresponding bottles (two for each registered member of the same household, up to a maximum of 8 or 4 for households with non-registered people). In less than five minutes, the process was done.
There was a bit of everything: from the strongest who carried them in their arms, to those who brought their shopping trolleys or arrived by car (there was only one entrance to the car parking lot on the side of the cemetery) to load them. Thus, by 12:30 pm, 12 pallets of the 32 planned for today had already been distributed, or in other words, nearly 1,500 6.5-litre bottles.
Of particular importance has been the collaboration of Civil Protection and the municipal squad. They have been on the ground unpacking pallets, unloading bottles and helping residents to load them into their cars. Meanwhile, all the members of the government team and several municipal employees have been in charge of checking the lists of users.
In addition, Social Services telephone number (96 649 33 69) has been set up so that Civil Protection can take the bottles to those elderly people or those with reduced mobility who request them. In fact, ten deliveries have been made throughout the morning in different areas, and more are expected to follow this afternoon.
The distribution of bottled water will take place this Friday until 6pm or until stocks last, and on Tuesday August 20th and Friday August 23rd the same process will be repeated from 9am. Bottled water will be available once a week, so Tuesday will be reserved for those who have not been able to come this Friday.
Water tanks for self-supply from this afternoon onwards
It is expected that from the end of this Friday afternoon the water tanks to be placed by Hidraqua, the company in charge of the management of drinking water, will be added at various points. According to the indications of Public Health, which requires that the deposits are in closed, guarded and shaded locations, it has been decided to locate the deposits for self-supply at the entrance of the Santa Maria Magdalena school on Alicante Avenue, the indoor parking of the sports area (between the swimming pool and the football field) and El Puig building (headquarters of Civil Protection). To go to this last location, you must request in advance by calling 669793214.
In this case, the supply will be free (although moderation and civility are requested) from 10: 00am to 8: 00pm, and it is recommended to reuse the bottles that have already been provided in the different deliveries.
‘The reception has been very good and the delivery process has been orderly and well-coordinated at all times. People understand that, although it is not a definitive solution, we have acted with the best of intentions to find a quick and urgent first solution to the problem,’ said the mayor, Miguel Ángel García, who said that work is already underway to seek the necessary support to undertake the pipeline project to connect Xàbia and Teulada – El Poble Nou de Benitatxell Water Consortium via Camí Vell de Teulada as soon as possible.
The mayor thanked ‘the public for their understanding at all times, whose behaviour has been exemplary in the delivery process’, and, of course, the ‘invaluable collaboration of Civil Protection, the municipal squad, the Local Police and all the municipal employees involved, who have been committed from minute one’.