Residents of Masies Catalanes, a housing development spanning l'Albiol in Baix Camp and Alcover in Alt Camp, fear heavy autumn rain could again flood local streets after the Catalan Water Agency (ACA) issued an unfavourable report on drainage at the Las Lomas photovoltaic plant.

The residents' association said flooding in September and October 2025 left some people unable to enter or leave the development, either from the C-14 road or via la Selva del Camp. The ACA has required the developer to take action to ensure proper drainage while its construction permit remains valid.

"Residents are left completely isolated. They cannot get in or out. The water rose above pavement level and entered some plots," said Aurelio Hernández, president of the Masies-Alcover property owners' association.

ACA finds flood-risk measures insufficient

According to information reported by ACN, the ACA found that the solar plant site had affected the natural runoff pattern of the land. It asked the promoter either to correct the situation or provide further documentation showing that the measures already installed were adequate.

After reviewing material submitted by the Las Lomas promoter, the water agency concluded that the proposed steps were still insufficient to reduce flood risk.

The plant, which began to be installed in 2025 and has 11,583 panels, is nearly complete. The association attributes the flooding primarily to the site's drainage design, while also pointing to an alteration to a stream in the 1990s and drainage works linked to one access road in 2014.

Municipal responsibility disputed

In a parliamentary reply to the Comuns group, Sílvia Paneque, the Catalan minister for Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition, said l'Albiol Town Council must ensure compliance with the reports issued on the project.

L'Albiol mayor Andreu Carrasco said the council had not received the ACA reports. He said the Generalitat had granted the project permits, while the municipality of about 550 residents lacked the technical capacity to supervise infrastructure requiring permanent monitoring.

"It is very difficult technically to keep on top of all these new structures, which need permanent supervision," Carrasco said.

Representatives of the residents' association plan to meet the ACA in September 2026 to discuss the drainage problem.

Reported by reusdigital.cat.