The company that manages the town's water and sewers services has signed an agreement as a patron along with the Axarquía Association of Municipalities, Emasa, the Provincial Council and Acosol

Aguas de Torremolinos and the University of Málaga (UMA) will launch a new university chair called Ciencias del Litoral de la Costa del Sol (Coastal Sciences of the Costa del Sol) to provide a scientific space for analysis, study, research, development and dissemination of problems that affect users' perceived quality of the beaches.

The creation of this Chair was celebrated today in the Rector's Office, presided over by the rector, José Ángel Narváez. To establish the new Chair, the University of Málaga signed an agreement with the municipal water company (Emasa) and the Costa del Sol-Axarquía Association of Municipalities, in addition to Aguas de Torremolinos. Málaga Provincial Council and Acosol have also joined the institutions that have signed, with two general protocols of action.

The aim of the Chair is to provide tools for managers of government bodies with authority in the area of beaches, to seek excellence in the quality of the coast. This was affirmed by the Chair's director, Francisco Franco, who is a professor in the UMA's Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Crystallography and Mineralogy. He added that the problems of foams, jellyfish blooms, water and sand quality and plastic will also be researched in depth due to this initiative.

'The Chair is a tool that makes science and knowledge generated in the University available to institutions', stated Franco, who also announced that 14 professors from a range of fields including sciences, engineering and tourism will work for the Chair over the next four years. 'We will ensure that science improves the quality and safety of our beaches', Franco concluded.

Aguas de Torremolinos was keen to join this project, as it fits perfectly into the company's work and efforts to look after the environment. In the words of the company manager, Pedro Peña, Aguas de Torremolinos is 'concerned and occupied with conserving the environment'. In addition, Peña acknowledged the role of the University in promoting this project, and the role of the other signatories.

Science-based information

Work began in January this year, under the premise of providing science-based information on the many natural phenomena that occur on the coast that need to be managed by the relevant authorities.

• Stabilisation of beaches and the quality of contributions to the sandy area.
• The quality of the current sediment in the coastal waters and control of floating aggregates.
• Analysis of new systems for cleaning the coastal environment.
• Undesired interaction of the biota (flora and fauna) with beach users.
• Safety of human life in the bathing area.
• Regulations for using the coastal area and minimising environmental impacts.
• Adaptation of the coast of the Costa del Sol to the effects of climate change.

In addition, tourism and scientific activities will be established in the Alboran Sea, new technologies for managing the coast will be implemented, circular economy and environmental education will be promoted and workshops, seminars and conferences will be organised. Postgraduate courses, grants for studies and communication of the results are other activities that will be carried out by the new Chair.

Representatives of the institutions that will work towards these objectives were present at the signature of the agreement in the Rector's Office, including the manager of Aguas de Torremolinos, Pedro Peña, the president of the Provincial Council, Francisco Salado; Málaga Town Council's Councillor for Beaches, Teresa Porras; the president of the Costa del Sol-Axarquía Association of Municipalities, Gregorio Campos; and the CEO of Acosol, Manuel Miguel Cardeña.

Pioneering initiative

All of those present were congratulated for forming part of such a pioneering initiative, which will work to improve what today is the real industry of the Costa del Sol, the coast, and contribute to avoiding problems generated by the use and misuse of beaches and sewers and problems relating to climate change.

The rector said he was delighted the institutions had put their trust in the University, given that 'we are here to research and transfer the results of research activity'. He thanked all those present for considering that 'the UMA is their tool'.