El Ayuntamiento de Salamanca continues with the renovation of the water distribution network in the neighborhoods of the city to prevent pipe breaks and improve the quality of service provided to citizens. While renovation works are being carried out in Chamberí and La Vega, and projects in the neighborhoods of Pizarrales, Blanco, Vidal, Prosperidad, El Rollo, and Chinchibarra have already been approved, the Environmental Commission will discuss for approval on Wednesday, April 2, the new projects funded from the surplus of the previous fiscal year.
As reported today by the mayor, Carlos García Carbayo, the City Council will renew 2,734 meters of pipes in 14 streets of the neighborhoods of Pizarrales, Chamberí, Garrido, Estación, and Centro with a base bidding budget of 999,937 euros. Therefore, this year, 10 kilometers of pipes will be renewed in 59 streets.
Thus, the total length of pipes committed during the current term exceeds 15.3 kilometers in 71 streets with a total investment of 4.75 million euros. This significant investment by the City Council of Salamanca adds to the one made during the previous term, when nearly 21.5 kilometers of pipes were renewed in 106 streets of the city with a total investment exceeding 8.7 million euros.
Carbayo emphasized that the renovation of the water supply network since the implementation of the Active Pressure Management (GAP) system in 2017 has led to a net saving of over 17.5 million cubic meters of water, equivalent to the supply for the entire city of Salamanca for a year.
Thanks to this intelligent system, which regulates pressure in the network when there is less water demand and optimizes this pressure according to demand, the lifespan of pipes is increased by sixteen years. Therefore, these improvements have not only allowed for the replacement of current pipes and water savings, enhancing the service for residents, but also prevent inconveniences due to breaks in the network. In 2024, breakages decreased by 17.4% compared to the previous year, and by 56.1% compared to 2017, when GAP was implemented.
Projects to be approved, one by one
The first of the three projects to be approved, with a base bidding budget of 263,507.30 euros and a two-month execution period, will renew 721 meters of pipe length in the streets La Flor, El Pozo, Obispo Alcolea, Río Sil, and Ruiz Zorrilla in the Pizarrales neighborhood. This phase connects with the already approved phase funded by the 2025 budgets in the streets Alfareros, Marineros, and Profesor Lucas.
The second project, with a base bidding budget of 369,310.09 euros and a three-month execution period, will cover 1,016 meters in the streets San Matías, Santa Rosa de Lima, San Ernesto, Teso de Buenavista, and León in the Pizarrales neighborhood, as well as in the streets Gil González Dávila and César Real de la Riva in Chamberí. These latter streets link to the renovation of the streets Bernardo Dorado and Conde Vallellano carried out during the previous term.
Finally, the third project, with a base bidding budget of 367,119.24 euros and a four-month execution period, will renew 997 meters of the street Pozo Amarillo and the walk of the Estación, between the roundabouts of Coronel Antonio Heredero Gil and Río Miño, continuing the works carried out in 2023 from the Parque de La Alamedilla.
The works will also involve the renewal of 191 household connections, the installation of 68 irrigation outlets and 22 firefighting hydrants, as well as air release valves, cleaning wells, and drainage when necessary.