Monday, February 25, 2008 - 08:00h
Drought Management
Drought Management 2007-2008
Threat of domestic water supply cuts postponed until the end of summer
The Generalitat of Catalonia does not foresee any danger of cutting domestic water supplies before the end of the summer. This is possible thanks to the measures adopted and planned by the Catalan Water Agency, which, with the co-operation of councils and suppliers and a demonstrable moderation in consumption, will ensure that 50% of current demand is covered.
We are currently suffering a severe drought following two years of lower than average rainfall which has resulted in reservoir levels being down to 23.15%, approximately half the levels of the previous year. Water reserves have fallen less severely in the Ter-Llobregat system in the second week of February due to rainfall, melting snow and lower demand.
There are currently 460 municipalities, with a total population of more than 5 million inhabitants, which are on Exception 2 alert, under which it is prohibited to use potable water for any purpose other than domestic consumption.
Emergency Alert 1, which comes into force when reserves fall to between 15% and 20%, does not imply cutting domestic supplies either, but does involve limiting supplies (litres per inhabitant per day) and restricting public urban uses.
Specific measures
Plans for the Ter-Llobregat system in Exception Alert 2 stage
The volume of water released from reservoirs to the Baix Ter irrigation systems, the Manresa irrigation channel and the right hand canal of the Llobregat will be significantly reduced to those levels needed for the survival of urban trees.
It is planned to progressively replace the waters used to feed the irrigation systems of the right bank of the Llobregat with recycled water from the Baix Llobregat Treatment Plant.
Water used to maintain flows around the Ter Llobregat reservoir system will be reduced to the minimum level needed to ensure the water is circulating enough to maintain aquatic life.
General measures
Among general measures in force, the councils of municipalities on Exception 2 alert must consider using local powers to prohibit the potable water being used for anything other than domestic supplies, such as in public and private swimming pools, watering private gardens and in water parks and other leisure facilities.
Therefore we list below those practices which should not draw water that is fit for human consumption from the supply networks. This list is not exhaustive.
- Watering gardens, fields, vegetable gardens, green and sports areas, public or private.
- Washing or damping down streets, roads, paths and pavements, public or private.
- Filling swimming pools, ponds and fountains, private or public.
- Drinking water fountains which do not have automatically closing taps.
- Using hosepipes to wash vehicles except by authorised vehicle washing companies.
At the same time, the volumes released for urban supplies to municipal reservoirs or downstream supply areas will not exceed a maximum equivalent to 270 litres per inhabitant per day.
More than 20 emergency projects commissioned by the Catalan Water Agency are currently being carried out, to which must be added intervention by local authorities, in particular to recover disused wells which will begin to inject water into the network from May and June. The use of recycled water for agricultural and industrial uses will also increase.
The necessary logistics are also being put in place to bring in water by ship if it becomes necessary to avoid cutting domestic supplies. The water will come from Tarragona, Marseilles and Carboneras.
