20 hours Ago By Gemma Garrido Granger
After three extreme years of water shortages, with limitations on domestic, industrial, and agricultural consumption, Catalonia is saying goodbye to its historic drought. The regional minister for Territory, Housing, and Ecological Transition, Silvia Paneque, stated this Saturday that the good condition of the Catalan reservoirs, which have boosted their reserves in a matter of weeks thanks to recent episodes of rainfall, and the "good pace" of the works to gain water infrastructure allow the most populated areas of the country to be freed from usage restrictions. From the Sau reservoir, a thermometer and symbol of the water deficit that has plagued Catalonia in recent years, Paneque admitted that we cannot yet speak of "normality," but announced that the 202 municipalities that depend on the Ter Llobregat system—which covers more than 1,000 hectares—are now experiencing water limitations, after reserves have risen to 64% (about 391 hm).
). This percentage more than doubles that recorded a month ago, but Paneque has emphasized that "the drought plan activated in pre-alert will remain in place until a consolidated balance is confirmed in all internal basins, without having to take steps backwards." As planned, the Generalitat has continued with the de-escalation of restrictions, as the improvement in the overall indicators of the reservoirs and dams across the country has been consolidated.
"It was very important that when we had to lift the water restrictions, we were sure we could maintain them for at least six months," added the government spokesperson. Thus, in addition to the change due to the resurgence in the Ter-Llobregat system, the Government will also authorize the Baix Ter aquifer to return to the normal scenario and the Fluvià-Muga aquifer to move from exceptional status to alert. The Alt Empordà system, therefore, is the only one that will remain with certain limitations.
"With this decision, the restrictions on water use that until now had an impact on agricultural irrigation and environmental flows are being lifted, thus returning to normality after two years," the Catalan government maintains. The new scenario, discussed at the Catalan government meeting held this weekend in Vall de Núria, also allows for the removal of the restrictions that until now applied to various urban uses, such as the irrigation of gardens and green areas, the filling of ornamental fountains and swimming pools, and the cleaning of vehicles, streets, and street furniture. The phase change is expected to come into effect in mid-April, once the director's resolution is published in the Official Gazette of the Generalitat of Catalonia (DOGC).
From that moment on, nine areas will be in a normal state, five in pre-alert, and four on alert. Therefore, fourteen of the eighteen areas of the inland basins will no longer have any water use restrictions in place. "It has been the worst drought in the last 200 years," Paneque recalled, adding that reserves equivalent to those of December 2021 have now been reached.
Construction schedule However, despite the improvement in water volumes in the reservoirs, Paneque has assured that the schedules for all the planned works to reduce the country's dependence on rainfall are maintained and that Catalan desalination plants will continue to operate at 90% capacity. This decision aims to optimize the resources stored in the reservoirs and promote the recharge of aquifers with desalinated water. For example, the Llobregat Delta, which was vital to meeting demand during the drought.
"Improving reservoir reserves should not distract us from the Government's roadmap on water," the minister and government spokesperson insisted. She added: "We cannot make the mistake of thinking that the rains have solved a problem, since we do not know how the weather will evolve in the coming months." Thus, the Generalitat (Catalan government) continues working on the actions planned for 2025 with the aim of increasing available water by 31 hm3.
Currently, the supply of treated water from Figueres to the Muga River in Pont de Molins (+3 hm3 each year) is already in operation. Furthermore, work is also being completed to activate five new wells around Peralada, which should allow for better management of extractions from the Fluvià-Muga aquifer. In the metropolitan area, improvements to the treatment of the Estrella wells, the supply of reclaimed water to the Llobregat River from the Sant Feliu treatment plant, and the expansion of the Besòs-Trinitat water treatment plant are approaching their final phase.
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