Enduring over 1,000 days of drought, the Catalan government formally declared a state of emergency, expanding water restrictions to encompass Barcelona and its surrounding region. Catalan President Pere Aragonès announced the measures, stressing that some areas have not witnessed rain for three years, marking the worst drought in modern history.
To tackle the estimated 500mm water deficit in Catalonia, the emergency declaration activated as water reserves dropped below 16%. Existing measures in the northern region, such as a 20% reduction in agricultural irrigation and a ban on watering public parks, now extend to Barcelona.
The restrictions involve closing public and private swimming pools, with exceptions for sports centers. Some pools are adapting to use sea water. Parks will no longer receive water, but groundwater will be utilized to preserve the city’s 35,000 trees. Halting beach showers and ornamental fountains, and limiting water parks, ice rinks, and non-commercial car washing, the restrictions will persist for at least the next 15 months.
Abandoning plans to reduce water pressure stemmed from residents adhering to a daily consumption limit of 200 liters and concerns about discriminating against those in upper floors of apartment buildings.
While Barcelona benefits from Europe’s largest desalination plant, supplying 33% of its drinking water, it’s an expensive, energy-consuming process contributing to global emissions. With restrictions extending into summer, resentment toward tourists may increase, as they are perceived as burdening public services and consuming more water than residents.
The drought isn’t confined to the northeast; Andalucía in southern Spain has grappled with two dry summers impacting the olive and grape harvests. Agriculture, despite contributing only 2.3% to GDP and employing 4% of the workforce, consumes 80% of Spain’s water. Spain, historically facing periods of drought, confronts longer droughts, diminishing rainfall, and rising temperatures, exacerbating the water crisis.
