Is the water switched off on Lanzarote on 3 October 2026?

Locally, yes. Aguas de Lanzarote y La Graciosa carried out network operations to protect reserves. As a result, temporary water shut-offs, low water pressure and further disruptions were possible.

When will water production on Lanzarote resume?

The desalination plants had to be restarted and stabilised after the power cut. Production was then expected to increase gradually. The utility did not give a binding time.

Was Playa Blanca affected by the power cut?

No. Playa Blanca was spared from the power cut because the town is supplied with electricity via a connection with Fuerteventura, as the authorities reported.

What does “cero energético” mean?

The term refers to a complete power cut. On Lanzarote and La Graciosa this stopped the electricity-dependent desalination, which interrupted drinking water production.

Should tourists on Lanzarote expect restrictions?

Hotels, holiday rentals and households could be affected locally by pressure drops or water outages. The utility asked all users to use water sparingly until the situation returns to normal.

Is there compensation for the water outage?

No compensation arrangement was mentioned in the available reports. A complete list of affected locations was also not published.

Lanzarote: power cut halts desalination and water

How did the power cut happen on Saturday morning?

The incident began at around 05:44 local time at the 66-kV Mácher installation in the municipality of Tías, according to the Dirección General de Emergencias of the Gobierno de Canarias. It was a so-called “cero energético”, a complete power cut on Lanzarote and La Graciosa.

During restoration, a further fault occurred four minutes later at the San Bartolomé and Punta Grande substations. This extended the outage, according to the Dirección General de Emergencias.

Playa Blanca was spared from the power cut because of its connection with Fuerteventura. Electricity supply was then restored step by step.

How many households were affected?

Initially around 51,703 electricity customers were affected, and the figure subsequently rose to roughly 73,600 customers, according to the Dirección General de Emergencias. The authority declared the pre-alert level under the PLATECA emergency plan for Lanzarote at 07:15.

According to Endesa, the distribution network was fully restored by 07:13.

The electrical cause had not been fully explained at first. Red Eléctrica and Endesa were working to resolve the fault, according to the available reports.

Why is water still in short supply?

The return of electricity did not mean an immediate resumption of water production. The plants operated by Aguas de Lanzarote y La Graciosa had to be restarted and stabilised, as the utility reported.

Production was then expected to increase gradually. To protect existing reserves, the water utility carried out network operations in various zones of Lanzarote and La Graciosa.

As a result, temporary local water shut-offs, low water pressure and further disruptions were possible on Saturday, 3 October.

What restrictions apply to residents and visitors?

No new prices, fees, entry requirements, application deadlines or entitlement rules were published. All users were asked to use water sparingly and avoid non-essential consumption until production and distribution returned to normal.

Hotels, holiday rentals and households could be affected locally by pressure drops or outages. A complete list of affected locations was not provided in the available reports.

The utility recommended avoiding non-essential water use and reducing consumption while the effects of the power cut continue.

What is the state of the water infrastructure?

The Consorcio del Agua described the situation as “grave, objetiva, continuada y estructural” in a technical-administrative report from April 2026, as Canarias Ahora reported.

According to the Consorcio del Agua report of April 2026 (Canarias Ahora), the EDAM Janubio desalination plant was operating at only 66 percent of its capacity because of a fault. The repeated stoppages of the EDAM Díaz Rijo plant were also mentioned.

In March 2026 the Gobierno de Canarias and the Cabildo de Lanzarote cited additional production capacity of 7,800 cubic metres per day since 2023, equivalent to 12 percent more water. This is a self-reported figure from the two administrations, based on data from the Consorcio del Agua de Lanzarote.

What happens next after the power cut?

Aguas de Lanzarote y La Graciosa intended to stabilise the desalination plants, restart production and normalise the water supply “as quickly as possible”. No concrete completion date or new deadline was given.

The utility announced that it would update information on the development of the service centrally as the restoration of the system progresses. The electrical cause initially remained open.

The Gobierno de Canarias has planned the replacement of La Graciosa's main supply pipeline for this year; according to the available background information, the replacement has not yet taken place.