Francisco Santiago, the man who saved Benidorm from drought, awarded García Antón prize for water management

Francisco Gabriel Santiago Andrés, a technical engineer in Public Works known as Paco Santiago, was awarded the fifth edition of the 'José Ramón García Antón Award for Good Water Management' in an emotional ceremony held in Aspe this Thursday. This accolade, presented by the Central Board of Users of the Júcar-Vinalopó Transfer, honours individuals and institutions dedicated to optimising water use.

Few have achieved as much as Paco Santiago, the man who, alongside his dear friend José Ramón García Antón, saved Benidorm from drought. When the late councillor was the chief engineer at Benidorm Town Hall, he remembered his university companion. Together, in 1978, they launched the Marina Baixa Water Consortium, ensuring the region's water supply despite recurring droughts. This initiative is a global example of territorial cohesion and solidarity, combining irrigation and supply water usage.

The Marina Baixa was historically isolated from the two major river basins: the Segura and the Júcar. This separation was resolved in 1997, thanks to Francisco Santiago and others, with the completion of the Rabasa Amadorio Conduit, which transports water from Alicante to Benidorm, preventing water shortages during severe droughts like last year's.

Francisco Santiago served as director of the Consortium and head of technical services at Benidorm Town Hall. He has been an honorary citizen of the province since 2014 and is currently vice president of the Central Board, representing water supplies.

The honouree, moved during much of his speech as he remembered his friend, reaffirmed his "commitment, my fight, to ensure waters flow as they should," referring to the Júcar-Vinalopó transfer from the Cortes de Pallás intake. He criticised the excessive politicisation of water, "which serves to divide," and expressed gratitude to all who have supported him throughout his career.

Ángel Urbina, president of the Central Board of Users of the Júcar-Vinalopó Transfer, praised Francisco Santiago as "an act of justice" for his tireless work in water management. Urbina described him as "a loyal collaborator, a brother," who has always been straightforward.

Meanwhile, the Water Councillor, Miguel Barrachina, thanked the Central Board for the event and the award to an engineer like Francisco Santiago, turning the Wagner Theatre in Aspe into "a place that honours science, not whim," referring to the central government's plans to cut the Tajo-Segura Transfer. For the councillor, "Spain does not have a water problem, but a solidarity problem." He pledged to continue "the water fight."

Additionally, the vice president of the Provincial Council and head of the Water Cycle, Ana Serna, highlighted Francisco Santiago as "a living reference in water management" and thanked him for "all his work in creating water infrastructures," especially in reuse.