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The Sau reservoir in Catalonia: reserves at historic lows
Photo: Marc Asensio Clupes / ZUMA Wire / IMAGO
The government of Catalonia has declared a state of emergency due to water shortages. The measure will come into force in Barcelona and 201 other municipalities in the region in northeastern Spain on Friday, the regional government announced.
There will be new strict restrictions on consumption, affecting around six million people in the provinces of Barcelona and Girona.
Water consumption limited to 200 liters per person per day
In the holiday region, which is also popular with Germans, water consumption is now limited to a maximum of 200 liters per person per day. If the situation worsens, the limit can be reduced to 180 liters in a second phase and to 160 liters in a third phase.
For comparison: In the regional capital Barcelona, consumption per person is currently an average of 173 liters, but in other larger communities it is sometimes well over 200 liters. Previously, during the pre-emergency period, there was a limit of 230 liters per person per day.
Car washing prohibited
Until further notice, you are not allowed to wash cars, sidewalks or streets. Filling most swimming pools is also prohibited. Public and private gardens and parks may only be irrigated under certain circumstances and then only with recycled water.
Farmers will be hit hard, having to reduce their consumption by 80 percent. The livestock industry has to save 50 percent and industry 25 percent. Penalties of up to 150,000 euros are envisaged for violations.
A state of emergency has been in effect for several months in three dozen municipalities in the province of Tarragona. In other areas there has been a so-called preliminary state of emergency. Catalonia is suffering from the worst drought since records began a century ago, said regional president Pere Aragonès.
The lack of rain that has been ongoing for over three years has caused the water levels in the reservoirs to drop massively. On average, the reservoirs are only about 16 percent full. Some are even practically empty. About a year and a half ago the average was just under 60 percent.
According to a 2022 study, the Iberian Peninsula is suffering its worst drought in 1,200 years. The authorities in Catalonia are therefore considering bringing water to Barcelona by ship - a measure that was already decided in 2008, when the water reservoirs had fallen to almost 20 percent of their capacity and at the same time fewer desalination plants were in operation. In addition to Catalonia, Andalusia in Spain also suffers from a serious water shortage.
kub/dpa/Reuters