The big machinery is out and about installing the new drop irrigation system for farmers and small holders in “sector 3” (Villa Vieja and properties near the town side of the river) which should be completed and in use by the end of this year.
The modenisation work has been in progress since the beginning of February when the legal challenge to the decision to introduce a “mixed system”, whereby landowners can opt in or out of the drop irrigation system, was rejected.
Some 1,100 hectares of land will increase in value as the new system is installed, according to a spokesperson on Radio Calasparra whh will also save water: the traditional system of irrigation canals uses 50 to 60% of the caudal whereas the new drop irrigation will not use more than 5% of this water,” he said.
He also confirmed that only the landowners who opt for the new system would pay for it, however, those using the traditional sytem would be resposible for the maintenancer of the network of irrigation canals. He cited an example of the La Mina canal which costs 60 euros/th due to breakages and leaks in 2014 compared to the price of modernisation which is 52eurs/th.
