The Minister of Agriculture, Water, Livestock, and Fisheries, Miguel Barrachina, visited the construction site of the Salse III water storage and regulation reservoir for irrigation in Beneixama. During his visit, he highlighted the investment of nearly six million euros, aimed at improving water storage capacity and ensuring the supply of irrigation water in the Alto Vinalopó region.

This new infrastructure will have a useful capacity of 524,000 cubic meters and will serve approximately 1,200 hectares of crops, mainly olive groves, almond trees, and vineyards. According to the Conselleria, this action will allow for water reserves during periods of high demand, reduce reliance on pumping in summer, and decrease energy consumption, leading to significant cost savings for farmers.

In his speech, Barrachina contrasted this action with the situation of the San Diego reservoir, located in Villena, an infrastructure linked to the Júcar-Vinalopó transfer, in which, he recalled, 40 million euros were invested, and which remains inoperative. The regional official also criticized the Ministry for Ecological Transition for setting 2028 as the start date for the waterproofing works of the facility, according to a parliamentary response sent to the Senate. He pointed out that farmers have been demanding the rehabilitation of the reservoir since 2018 and described the delay as “unjustified” for a strategic infrastructure for the Vinalopó water system.

The minister framed the action in Beneixama within the Generalitat's investment in the province of Alicante, which he quantified at over 40.9 million euros in the last five years for the modernization of irrigation and hydraulic infrastructures. He also assured that in the current legislature, regional investment in hydraulic infrastructures and irrigation modernization has increased by 60%, reaching 99 million euros in the Comunitat Valenciana.