Thousands of people living in small communities now rely on wells that are drying up, making it difficult to obtain water suitable for consumption.
advertisementWith a plastic pitcher in hand, Joan Trent heads into the woods in search of drinking water.
He fills them with natural springs and transports them to his home in Gualba, a beautiful village near Barcelona. Like many Spanish towns, it is experiencing the worst drought on record.
For Trent, it’s a bit of an inconvenience to carry an 8-liter jug to collect water several times a week, but it could become more common in Spain and other countries. mediterranean Adapt to climate change.
“There used to be a lot of springs in Gualva. I think this is the only one left today,” said Trent, a 64-year-old retiree, as he headed toward a fountain connected to the spring.
“I don’t think we realize what’s in store for all of us. … People don’t want to hear about water scarcity.”
Catalonia declares drought emergency
Officials from Catalonia, northeastern Spain It declared a state of drought emergency on Thursday. The reservoir, used by 6 million people, including Barcelona’s population, has less than 16 percent of its water capacity, the lowest in history.
The state of emergency, which takes effect on Friday, limits the amount of water allowed for residential and municipal purposes to 200 liters per person per day. According to Catalonia’s Water Authority, the average resident uses 116 liters per day at home.
“We are entering a new climate reality,” Pere Aragonés, head of Catalonia’s region, said when declaring a state of emergency.
“More droughts with greater intensity and frequency are very likely to occur.”
The people of Barcelona haven’t realized it yet. full impact of drought You are not allowed to fill your private pool or wash your car. But Gualba and other small towns and villages in the Catalan countryside have been in a state of crisis for months. Thousands of people living in small communities dependent on wells that are running dry are having difficulty obtaining water suitable for consumption.
According to local legend, the name Gualba means “white water” and refers to the stream that flows down from the Montseny mountain that overlooks the village. About 1,500 residents have been without drinking water since December, when local reservoirs were so depleted that they could only use water to wash clothes and dishes.
Most residents have to drive to another town to buy bottled water.
“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.”
Why is Spain experiencing a record drought?
In Spain, rainfall has been below average for three years as record temperatures continue. Due to climate change, the Mediterranean region is predicted to warm faster than other regions, and the situation is expected to worsen further.
of reservoir Hydropower supplied by the Tell and Llobregat rivers in northern Catalonia has fallen to 15.8% of capacity, compared to a 10-year average of 70%. Only the Guadalete-Barbaté river basin in southern Andalusia, which faces similar deficiencies and restrictions, is worse off at 14.6%.
Barcelona has avoided water shortages by beefing up its expensive desalination and water purification systems. He currently accounts for 55 percent of Catalonia’s total water usage. Still, local authorities in Barcelona and Seville, the capital of southern Andalusia, are both considering transporting drinking water.
Catalan authorities in Barcelona are threatening to fine municipalities if residents, farmers and businesses do not comply with water restrictions. They are also asking for water rates to be increased so they can pay. modernize the pipes.
“Some municipalities are losing 70 to 80 percent of their water due to leaks,” Catalan government official Laura Vilagra told Spanish state radio RNE. “That’s not sustainable.”
advertisementSome towns have already turned off the faucets.
Water management experts fear that rural areas will continue to be hit hardest. The restrictions cut water for pigs and other herd animals by 50 percent and water for crop irrigation by 80 percent. Huge blow to rural economy.
Dante Maschio, a spokesperson for the Catalunya newspaper, said: “The fact that this drought is making headlines just because it is affecting Barcelona means that villages in the Pyrenees are enduring water shortages and have had to have water trucked in for months. Despite that,” he said. The non-profit Aigua és vida, or Water Is Life organization.
“If droughts are not properly managed, they can lead to further inequalities and tensions between urban and rural areas,” Maschio said.
Many towns spend a lot of money having their water delivered by tanker trucks. The Catalan government is sharing 4 million euros of the 191 million euros earmarked for drought relief among 213 municipalities to help pay for water transportation.
Still, some towns, like Espulga de Francoli, have had to shut off their water supply. The town is shutting off water service from 8 p.m. to 10 a.m. every day to allow wells to recover overnight.
advertisementEva Martínez is the mayor of Valirana, a town of 15,000 people located just over 30 minutes west of Barcelona. In recent months, there have been times in her municipality where water has had to be brought in by trucks, with residents parking in their neighborhoods to fill bottles and buckets.
“We understand that people are frustrated when there are water issues and we can’t provide the quantity and quality of water that we need,” Martinez said.
“It doesn’t seem like it’s going to rain. The situation is hopeless.”