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Each year, heavy rain and storms cause untold damage in the Mar Menor area, blocking roads, downing bridges and flooding countless buildings in towns throughout the Campo de Cartagena. One major problem area is the municipality of Los Alcázares, whose low-lying location makes it particularly susceptible, and several public properties have been badly damaged over the years.

 

With an investment of around 500,000 euros, the City Council is planning extensive renovation work on the Town Hall and its underground car park, the nursery school, the Transformation Center, the Adolfo López Senior Center, the Bienvenido Conejero Requiel Infant School, the Petra Sánchez Rollán School, the Tourist Office and the indoor pool.

 

The project has already been fully outlined and the deadline for submitting work tenders has been set for January 16.

 

One of the biggest jobs will involve the Town Hall’s two basements which let in huge volumes of water every time it rains heavily. The current anti-flood barriers aren’t fit for purpose and require replacing and since the underground areas allow both vehicle and pedestrian access, extracting flood water is a complex operation.

 

Given the uneven ground upon which it is built, the outdoor area of the nursery also becomes swamped during storms, with water usually completely engulfing the exterior patio and surrounding streets.

 

Previous studies have already confirmed that the buildings in need of improvement are free from any geological problems that could delay the work such as erosion or cracks. From the start date, the projects should be completed within four and a half months, a timeline which has been stretched a bit to allow the manufacture of certain necessary parts such as new anti-flood barriers, which take around 14 weeks to build.

 

Image: Asociación Stop Inundaciones