Over the past weeks, water levels in Catalonia ‘s reservoirs have sharply declined, and the absence of snow and precipitation has led local authorities to declare a state of emergency in the region.
The state of emergency extends to almost the entire eastern part of the Spanish autonomous region, including major cities such as Barcelona, Girona, and Tarragona. Over 80% of Catalonia’s population is required to restrict water consumption indefinitely, as reported by The Mayor.
Since November of last year, Catalans have been living under extraordinary circumstances, but instead of improvement, the situation has worsened as drought persists and becomes a chronic issue for the Mediterranean region.
Authorities have announced the implementation of restrictions, which will be divided into three stages of severity. The first step involves limiting water consumption to 200 liters per person per day, and businesses must start learning to conserve water.
Irrigation of fields will be reduced by 80%, causing concerns among local farmers about future harvests. Industries and municipalities must reduce water consumption by 25%. Watering public or private gardens is only allowed in cases of using groundwater or treated water.
Most cruise ships will no longer be able to replenish their water tanks in the port of Barcelona, except in cases of emergency.
