Residents of Spain’s northeastern Catalonia region will be banned from washing cars and refilling empty swimming pools under a series of measures announced Thursday to alleviate the worst drought in the region’s history.
Pere Aragonés, head of Catalonia’s regional government, announced a state of drought emergency after reservoirs in the Mediterranean region fell below 16% of their capacity.
“Catalonia is experiencing the worst drought of the last century. Never since rainfall records began has we faced such a long and intense drought,” Prime Minister Aragonés told a news conference.
The measures will affect around 6 million people in 200 villages, towns and cities, including the regional capital Barcelona, Spain’s second largest city.
What do we mean by emergency measures?
Under the emergency rules, local governments are asking residents to reduce household water use by 5%, from 210 to 200 liters (55 to 52 gallons) per person per day.
Farmers have been ordered to reduce agricultural water use by up to 80%.
But while Barcelona residents have so far not felt the effects of the drought beyond not being able to fill their private pools or wash their cars, thousands of people living in small communities that rely on wells have. I have been experiencing difficulties for many months.
Since December, the village of Gualba, which has about 1,500 residents and is an hour’s drive north of Barcelona, has had its water drained so low that the local reservoir has become undrinkable and can only be used to wash clothes and dishes. , drinking water is not provided.
Most residents have to drive to another town to buy bottled water.
Climate change warning
The Iberian Peninsula is at its driest in 1,200 years, according to a 2022 study, forcing Catalan authorities to consider shipping water to Barcelona if it dries out.
This measure was also adopted in 2008, when water levels in reservoirs dropped by nearly 20% and fewer desalination plants were operational.
“I don’t think we realize what’s going to happen to all of us,” one resident named Joan Trent told The Associated Press about climate change. “People don’t want to hear about water scarcity. In my opinion, people need to be more aware of water scarcity.”
“We have always had an abundance of water,” said Jordi Esmaindia, deputy mayor of Gualva. “No one ever imagined we would end up like this.”
mf/rt (AFP, Reuters, Associated Press)