The Madrid Ecologist Platform, along with groups such as ARBA, El Soto, GRAMA, Jarama Vivo, and Liberum Natura, has spoken out against the Gemswell Surf Madrid project. They argue that the facility, located next to the Riyadh Air Metropolitano stadium, could evaporate more water annually than its artificial lagoon, estimated at around 30,000 cubic meters, can store.
Environmentalists estimate the park could require between 38,000 and 42,000 cubic meters of drinking water per year. This amount is equivalent to the domestic consumption of over 800 people. They criticize that all this water will come from the Canal de Isabel II network, as current regulations prohibit the use of treated water in such recreational facilities.
The platform recalls that the High Court of Justice of Madrid annulled the Special Plan that provided urban planning coverage for the project in November 2025. The reason cited was the failure to undergo a strategic environmental assessment, a procedure that, according to the organizations, has not been carried out. Despite the Madrid City Council and the Community of Madrid appealing this ruling to the Supreme Court, construction continues.
This situation creates a "legal uncertainty" that, according to environmentalists, should lead to the provisional suspension of the project. Additionally, they criticize the complex's financing, which has received 15.7 million euros from the Regional Resilience Fund, using European funds intended for sustainable tourism, and question whether it meets the environmental criteria required for such public aid.
For these reasons, the Madrid Ecologist Platform labels the project as "unsustainable" and demands its immediate suspension due to its environmental impact, high consumption of water resources, and the legal doubts surrounding its development.
