Benidorm is carrying out the works to adapt the Séquia Mare Interpretation Centre as a Water Museum

Benidorm City Council's Governing Board has approved the refurbishment of the Séquia Mare Park Interpretation Centre, which will be dedicated to promoting the municipality's hydraulic, ethnographic, and cultural heritage. The Board's approval comes after the municipal technicians received and favourably reviewed the project's cost estimate. The work will be carried out by the concessionaire Veolia, using funds from the Municipal Water and Sewerage Service Investment Fund, as stipulated in the concession agreement and the specifications governing the financing of expansion, renovation, and improvement projects.

The cost estimate establishes a budget of €144,722.99 and a three-month construction period, with the aim of "creating a museum space that connects Benidorm's agricultural past with its current tourism sector," as stated by the Councillor for the Water Cycle, José Ramón González de Zárate. And all of this is achieved through “a narrative that acknowledges the historical continuity between that 17th-century irrigation canal and the modern water supply infrastructure of today.”

The councillor noted that the construction and adaptation work on the Interpretation Centre building is “finished” and that it is now necessary “to proceed with the interior outfitting and conditioning to enable its opening to the public and its operation as a cultural, educational, and tourist resource.”

In this regard, the report submitted by Veolia establishes a series of objectives for this work. First, the creation of a permanent museum space dedicated to the Séquia Mare (Main Irrigation Canal). Second, the provision of a reception and welcome area for users of the youth hostel. Third, the aim is to create a multipurpose space that allows not only for the reception of guests but also for the development of training activities, conferences, workshops, and cultural events without interfering with the permanent museum function. Finally, the project seeks to implement a modern and innovative interior design and guarantee universal accessibility.

González de Zárate indicated that the planned project “contributes to enhancing the value of Benidorm’s historical hydraulic heritage, strengthens environmental education, promotes water awareness, and disseminates information about the water supply system that forms the basis of the current inter-municipal model of water management in the Marina Baixa region.”

The councillor also emphasised that all the work in this project will be carried out under the supervision of municipal technicians, who will verify the proper execution of the works. “Work is already underway on the project, and we believe it will be completed by the beginning of October so that our young people can come and learn about the past, present, and future of water in Benidorm.”

The head of the Water Cycle department stressed that water has been “one of the most important elements in the development of our city,” and for that reason, “we are always focused on efficient water management, and that is what we want to share.” González de Zárate emphasised that Benidorm “is a sustainable city from an environmental point of view, but precisely for that reason we must remember and explain everything that has been done and everything that is being done in terms of water.”