Cleaning and maintenance of the Iro River
The banks of the Iro are cleaned periodically, every month or month and a half, and are intensified before and after the major festivals in Chiclana, due to the amount of waste that accumulates. However, the removal of rubbish from the riverbed, especially large objects buried in the mud. It is much more complex and less frequent, as it requires the use of a barge adapted to navigate through shallow waters. The Vertresa team, with the support of delegate Sergio Flores, takes advantage of the low tide to locate and extract the submerged remains, traveling more than 2,5 kilometers between the Puente de la Concordia Bridge and El Torno station.
In just two weeks of work, the amount of waste removed has increased from 2.800 to almost 4.800 kilos., a figure that reflects the magnitude of the problem and the effectiveness of the campaign. Among the recovered items, in addition to packaging and paper, are bulky items such as tires, cones, pallets, and even urban bollards, washed up by the tide or irresponsibly thrown away by some citizens.
The Iro River as an axis of urban transformation
The City Council has made the Iro the connecting link for the main future projects for the transformation of Chiclana. The new Integrated Action Plan (IAP), for which €20 million in European funding has already been requested, includes various interventions focused on the river environment: from the new Longuera swimming pool to the second phase of the Alameda del Río promenade, including the creation of an absorption forest to reduce the risk of flooding before the river enters the city center. These projects seek not only to improve infrastructure, but also Ensure the protection and enhancement of the riverbed as an identifying and natural element of the city.
Chiclana is making progress in integrating the river into urban life, with a focus on sustainability and the well-being of residents and visitors. Meanwhile periodic cleaning operations will remain essential to prevent the environmental recovery effort from being eroded by the lack of civic-mindedness and negligence of some.
The initiatives underway and the involvement of local governments and groups are successfully revitalizing both the river's ecological status and its social perception, reaffirming its value as a space for meeting, biodiversity, and enjoyment.