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The tender process has officially opened for a major flood protection scheme in Los Alcázares, with the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge now inviting construction firms to bid for the first phase of works along the Rambla de la Pescadería.

 

It's a project locals have been waiting on for a long time and with the contract now out to tender, the start of construction is finally within sight.

 

Companies interested in taking on the job have until September 7 to submit their bids. Once a contractor is appointed, the works themselves are expected to take 28 months, meaning the project won't be finished before 2029 at the earliest. The budget has been set at €17 million, although the real cost to public funds works out closer to €14 million, since the State doesn't pay VAT on its own projects.

 

This first phase covers the urban channelling of the Pescadería rambla along Fernando Muñoz Zambudio Avenue, with an open channel stretching around 1,250 metres. Traffic layouts and existing services in the area will also need reorganising to accommodate the works.

 

The Ministry hopes the scheme will make it easier for surface water to drain away safely into the Mar Menor, while also cutting down on the amount of solid material and pollution that currently ends up in the lagoon during heavy rain.

 

For the town itself, the project should mean real protection from flooding for the urban centre, something residents have long been calling for. The design also aims to green up the area and make it more resilient, which, as the Ministry pointed out, ties in neatly with their efforts to adapt to climate change. Beyond its practical job of carrying floodwater away, the new channel is also being designed as a space locals can actually use and enjoy day to day.

 

A floodable park covering more than 30 hectares is planned for the start of Muñoz Zambudio Avenue as part of a second phase of the project, carrying its own price tag of over €18 million. It's designed to soak up and hold back run-off during the kind of torrential downpours the area knows all too well, easing the pressure on the town centre when the rain really comes down.

 

For more local information in English, including news, what’s on and visiting advice, contact the tourist offices in Los Alcázares (main telephone number 968 575756) or go to the home page of Los Alcázares Today.