Benidorm approves the improvement of the stormwater network of El Torrejó square and Virgen del Sufragio Avenue

The Local Government Board of Benidorm City Council has approved this morning's project to modify the stormwater network of Plaza del Torrejó and Avenida Virgen del Sufragio, an action that has a total budget of 244,219.75 euros and a subsidy from the Provincial Council of Alicante of 60,000 euros.

The subsidy granted by the provincial entity has been under the call for the granting in the year 2023 of "Subsidies in favour of local entities destined to the realization and improvement of hydraulic infrastructures for supply and sanitation".

The Provincial Council approved the subsidy last April, although to start the action it was necessary to have the authorization of the Provincial Coast Service since it affected the Maritime Terrestrial Public Domain. In July, Costas authorized the work because “the modification of the network represents an improvement of the services in the area without increasing the occupation or denaturalization of the Maritime-Terrestrial Public Domain since it is already fully urbanized.” In fact, Costas only set as a condition that the works be carried out “with the least possible impact on the environment and provided that the actions to be carried out are limited to those established in the documentation presented.”

Once the relevant authorization has been obtained, the City Council already has the green light to begin the work, according to the Councilor for the Water Cycle, José Ramón González de Zárate. “The work will involve actions in the subsoil to renew obsolete infrastructures and improve the environment and the urban scene on the surface with universal accessibility, as well as improvements in mobility,” he said. This intervention is complemented by the one that has also been carried out in the streets of Pérez Martorell and Purísima Concepción. The expected execution period is about four months.

Like the previous ones, the works will be carried out in phases “because it is a nerve centre for the transit of the neighbourhood of the old town and the suppliers and distributors in loading and unloading” said González de Zárate. The councillor has indicated that “the renovation of the stormwater network at the junction between Plaza del Torrejó, Avenida Virgen del Sufragio, Calle Purísima Concepción and a section of Dr. Pérez Martorell is being carried out”. He added that this involves “renewing the network in the subsoil and improving accessibility in some sections where action was necessary.

The councillor for the Water Cycle has emphasised that the action “will greatly benefit pedestrian traffic and will also enable better treatment of stormwater in an area where the collectors have little gradient and a serious evacuation problem”. The works in Virgen del Sufragio and Plaza del Torrejó include the replacement of 135 metres of collector, distributed in two sections. The first of them, 50 metres long, is located in Plaza del Torrejó and the second, 85 metres long, is on Avenida Virgen del Sufragio. Both will flow into a pumping station that will be built to evacuate the first rainwater as well as water from cleaning terraces, roads and other possible discharges.