Catalonia bids farewell to drought: restrictions ease across the Barcelona area

BarcelonaAfter three extreme years of water shortages, with limitations on domestic, industrial, and agricultural consumption, Catalonia is saying goodbye to its historic drought. The regional minister for Territory, Housing, and Ecological Transition, Silvia Paneque, stated this Saturday that the good state of the Catalan reservoirs, which have boosted their reserves in a matter of weeks thanks to recent episodes of rainfall, and the "good pace" of the works to gain water infrastructure allow the most populated areas of the country to be freed from usage restrictions.

From the Sau reservoir, a thermometer and symbol of the water deficit that has plagued Catalonia in recent years, Paneque admitted that we cannot yet speak of "normality," but announced that the 202 municipalities that depend on the Ter-Llobregat system—which encompasses more than itself—will eliminate water restrictions, after reserves have risen to 64% (about 391 hm).³). This percentage more than doubles what it was a month ago, but Paneque stressed that "the drought plan will remain activated on pre-alert until a consolidated balance is confirmed in all internal basins, without having to take steps backwards."

As planned, the Generalitat (Catalan Government) has continued with the de-escalation of restrictions, as the improvement in the overall indicators of reservoirs and dams across the country has been consolidated. "It was very important that when we had to lift the water restrictions, we were sure we could maintain them for at least six months," added the government spokesperson. Thus, in addition to the change due to the resurgence in the Ter-Llobregat system, the Government will also authorize the Baix Ter aquifer to return to the normal scenario and the Fluvià-Muga aquifer to move from exceptional status to alert. The Alt Empordà system, therefore, is the only one that will remain with certain limitations.

"With this decision, the restrictions on water use that until now had an impact on agricultural irrigation and environmental flows are lifted, thus returning to normality after two years," the government said. The new scenario, discussed at the meeting of the Catalan executive held this weekend in Vall de Núria, also allows for the disappearance of the restrictions that until now applied to various urban uses, such as watering gardens and green areas, filling ornamental fountains and swimming pools, and cleaning vehicles and streets.

The phase change is expected to come into effect in mid-April, once it is published in the Official Journal of the Generalitat of Catalonia (DOGC) the director's resolution. From that moment on, nine areas will be in a normal state, five in a pre-alert state, and four in an alert state. Therefore, fourteen of the eighteen areas in the inland basins will no longer have any water use restrictions in effect. "It has been the worst drought in the last 200 years," Paneque recalled, adding that the equivalent reserves have now been reached in December 2021.

Construction schedule

However, despite the improvement in water volumes in the reservoirs, Paneque has assured that the schedules for all the planned works to reduce the country's dependence on rainfall are maintained and that Catalan desalination plants will continue to operate at 90% capacity. This decision aims to optimize the resources stored in the reservoirs and promote the recharge of aquifers with desalinated water. For example, the Llobregat Delta, which has been vital to meeting demand during the drought.

"Improving reservoir reserves should not distract us from the Government's roadmap on water," the minister and government spokesperson insisted. She added: "We cannot make the mistake of thinking that the rains have solved a problem, since we do not know how the weather will evolve in the coming months."

Thus, the Generalitat (Catalan Government) continues working on the actions planned for 2025 with the aim of increasing available water by 31 hm³, for which we have a budget of 100 million euros. At the moment, the supply of treated water from Figueres to the Muga River in Pont de Molins (3 hm³ each year) is already in operation. In addition, work is also being completed to activate five new wells around Peralada, which should allow for better management of extractions from the Fluvià-Muga aquifer.

In the metropolitan area, improvements to the treatment of the Estrella wells, the supply of reclaimed water to the Llobregat River from the Sant Feliu treatment plant, and the expansion of the Besòs-Trinitat water treatment plant are approaching their final phase. Paneque also highlighted the initiatives in some "particularly dry" areas, such as Priorat and Baix Camp, focusing primarily on well restoration and water regeneration. Regarding the planned investments, he pointed to 2030 as the time when they will be able to definitively say that Catalonia has 280 cubic hectometers of new resources so that it is "prepared for the future and, therefore, far removed from the threat of drought."