Benidorm to Honour Rafael Ferrer Meliá with Corporate Medal

Benidorm City Council will award the city's Corporate Medal to Rafael Ferrer Meliá, a pivotal figure in the town's recent history, remembered by generations as the 'water mayor'. His leadership during the 1978 Water Crisis, one of the most challenging moments of the 20th century in Benidorm, forever linked him to the city and laid the foundations for the water management model that has made the town an international benchmark.

The decision to grant him this recognition was unanimously recorded in the proposal by the Board of Spokespersons, determined in the Informative Commission. The agreement highlights his dedication to service, commitment, and deep connection with Benidorm, qualities etched in the collective memory during those difficult months when the shortage threatened the town's future.

In the late 1970s, Benidorm faced a severe drought that began in the summer of 1976, leading to the greatest supply crisis in its modern history. In this context, between March and April 1978, following the resignation of the previous mayor, Rafael Ferrer Meliá stepped forward to assume the mayoralty, despite his term having an expiration date: the first municipal elections of democracy were to be held in April 1979.

During his 377 days at the helm of the City Council, Ferrer Meliá was forced to confront a critical situation. With determination and management skills, he implemented emergency measures, coordinated available resources, and led a process culminating in a historic solution: the solidarity of the people of Beniardá, crucial in ensuring Benidorm's supply during the most critical moments.

The municipal proposal emphasizes that beyond his figure, the most significant aspect of those days was the unity of the entire city to face an extraordinary situation together. Ferrer Meliá not only managed the crisis: he left numerous water and infrastructure projects planned, which would be executed by subsequent governments and shape Benidorm's future development.

But his significance is not limited to water management. Ferrer Meliá served as mayor during two crucial moments for Spain and Benidorm: the Constitution referendum on December 6, 1978, and the first democratic municipal elections on April 3, 1979.

His strong commitment to citizen participation was reflected in his formal request for a direct consultation with residents to choose their representatives, a gesture ahead of its time and the new democratic era that was opening.

Born in 1941 and raised on Mayor Street, he worked from the age of 13 as a bellboy at the Canal Bajo del Algar. His arrival at the City Council in 1974 reaffirmed a vocation for service that has always been recognized by the citizens.

During his tenure, he also tackled fundamental projects in areas such as Beaches, Street Cleaning, Education, fire services, and the sewage treatment plant, as well as strengthening cooperation with the region.

After the advent of democracy, Ferrer Meliá discreetly withdrew from municipal political life, always remaining an active citizen and proud to see how Benidorm has not suffered from water shortages again. That legacy, the proposal emphasizes, is his greatest satisfaction.

The Corporate Medal ceremony will take place on December 6, during the institutional event of Constitution Day, in a tribute intended to publicly acknowledge his decisive contribution to modern Benidorm.