In an effort to address water scarcity resulting from less rainfall, Catalonia, home to Spain’s second-largest regional economy and the renowned tourist destination Barcelona, is set to introduce an ambitious plan by the end of this decade.
This multi-billion-euro strategy, involving investments in desalination plants, becomes more urgent as the region considers declaring a water emergency.
Since November, the area has been in a water pre-emergency state, which means certain restrictions are in place.
These include not filling swimming pools, not watering lawns and public gardens, and not using showers in gyms and sports facilities. Trees are being watered with recycled sewage water or underground water, and decorative fountains have been dry for months.
Government officials report that water reservoirs have dipped below a critical 16%, following an unprecedented 39-month stretch of below-average rainfall and two consecutive years of record-breaking heat.
Concerns are mounting as Barcelona approaches the threshold of “Day Zero,” signaling the potential need to import water via tanker ships.
David Mascort, the Catalan government’s head of climate action said, “Ships won’t solve our drought problem, they’re just a solution to provide water to critical infrastructure in an extreme case.”
“But we know if we make the necessary investments by 2030, we’ll have enough water to face structural drought and stop depending on rain.”
Catalonia, Spain’s second-largest economy after Madrid, is investing €2.4 billion ($2.6 billion) until 2027 to become less reliant on rain.
The plan aims to provide sufficient water for the 3.3 million people in the greater Barcelona area and surrounding regions after 2030.
This will come from underground reserves, recycled water, and desalination, reducing dependence on rainfall.
