Catalonia declares a drought emergency and activates measures to address it

The Government of Catalonia has today declared the Drought Emergency, one phase of the Special Drought Plan for the Ter Llobregat system, which includes 202 municipalities, with six million inhabitants, once it has fallen below 16% of reserves, as established by the plan. This measure comes into effect once the resolution of the director of the Catalan Water Agency (ACA) is published in the Official Gazette of the Government of Catalonia (DOGC) and involves a reduction in water use for certain purposes.

239 municipalities in emergency

The Drought Plan sets a limit of 200 liters per inhabitant and day on average per municipality in the emergency scenario. This figure includes domestic consumption, economic activities, health centers, municipal uses, and losses in distribution networks, among others.

Regarding household consumption, it is recommended to be around 90 liters per inhabitant and day. The rest of the measures related to the emergency scenario for other uses (industrial, agricultural, livestock, recreational, and municipal) can be consulted at this link.

239 municipalities will be in an emergency scenario (the 202 in the Ter Llobregat system, 22 in the Fluvià Muga aquifer, 12 in the Darnius Boadella reservoir, 2 in Riudecanyes and Vallirana, from the Anoia-Gaià exploitation unit, requested by the City Council). In contrast, the unit of the Consortium of Water of Tarragona (CAT) goes from the alert scenario to the pre-alert scenario, improving the state of the Mequinensa reservoir. The rest of the units remain unchanged.

Optimizing resources

In the emergency scenario, a series of measures are foreseen to optimize water use, such as the elimination of agricultural irrigation by 80% (only survival irrigation of woody and tree crops will be authorized, always with reclaimed or groundwater); a 50% reduction in water use for livestock purposes; a 25% reduction in water consumption for industrial users; or the reduction of water consumption in recreational uses (25% in uses assimilable to urban and total elimination of irrigation).

In all these cases, allocations can be complemented with reclaimed water from a wastewater treatment plant, borne by the user, provided there is availability of flows.

In addition, the holders of these uses may choose to propose to the ACA a savings plan, which may resolve a lower percentage of reduction, taking into account the specific characteristics of each use, allocations, and the efficiency of supply under normal conditions and the degree of impact or interference that the intakes of the operations entail for the municipal supplies of their surroundings.

Restrictions on irrigation and fountains

Survival public irrigation of trees and botanical gardens can be carried out if it is done with reclaimed water from a treatment plant or with groundwater, provided that it does not reduce the availability of water for domestic supply.

The public irrigation of natural grass sports fields, or other surfaces that require irrigation for federated sports practice, can be carried out when certain conditions are met, such as using reclaimed water or groundwater, provided it does not result in a reduction in the availability of water for domestic supply and that, through the application of additional water-saving measures in the same sports facility, water savings equivalent to the volume of water used in irrigation are achieved.

As for ornamental fountains, artificial lakes, and other aesthetic water use elements, they will be prohibited from being fully or partially filled, with the exception of those ponds that serve as a refuge for endangered fauna and fauna intended for the recovery of native species in water bodies, which can be filled with the minimum amount of water necessary from regeneration or groundwater. This can be done as long as, in this latter case, it is verified through a hydrogeological assessment that it does not result in a reduction in the availability of water for domestic supply.

Limitations on pools

Freshwater pools cannot be filled. Only the partial refilling of covered swimming pools registered in the Catalonia Sports Equipment Census, and of those uncovered for year-round federated sports practice with a water recirculation system, is allowed in the quantities necessary to ensure their sanitary quality. They can be refilled as long as, through the application of additional water-saving measures in the same sports facility (including the closure of showers), water savings equivalent to the volume of water used in refilling the pool are achieved.

The filling and refilling of therapeutic pools located in hospitals, residences, special education centers, and centers of the Public Social Services Network, as well as those intended for the bathing of people with a disability assessment stating that they suffer from behavioral disorders, will also be allowed.

Regarding seawater pools, their full or partial filling is allowed as long as they are filled and emptied without connection to supply or sanitation networks.

Other limitations

The following are prohibited:

• The cleaning of any type of vehicle unless it is carried out in vehicle cleaning establishments equipped with water recirculation systems.
• The use of showers and facilities for foot cleaning on beaches.
• The holding of recreational, public, or private events involving the use of water suitable for human consumption, such as temporary ice rinks or recreational use, foam parties, water games, or similar activities.

Water service providers will apply the measures of their Emergency Plans, which may include reductions in pressure and even the temporary suspension of the supply service.

Local administrations, through their emergency plans, can establish additional limitations or prohibitions on the use of water in sports facilities, public/private, and recreational spaces.

Impact on projects and activities

In the field of environmental assessment of projects and activities, as well as in urban planning instruments, the ACA will have to assess the compatibility of the project or activity with the restrictions derived from the state of emergency according to the Drought Plan. In case of incompatibility, the environmental authority will condition its execution to the declaration of the end of the emergency in the exploitation unit where it is planned to be developed.

Regarding livestock activities, when animal welfare is at risk, and with the aim of guaranteeing it in the face of reduced consumption of water for livestock purposes, the Directorate General of Agriculture and Livestock will not issue authorizations for the entry of animals into new livestock farms or for the expansion of existing ones.

It will also suspend the operation of new farms or the expansion of existing ones until the availability of water to guarantee animal welfare is ensured.

Emergency flows

Finally, entering an emergency will entail applying emergency flows in the Muga, Ter, and Llobregat rivers, with the aim of preserving more water in the reservoirs of the internal basins. During the time that the flow reduction lasts, controlled flow increments will also be set for maintaining ecological conditions aimed at the recovery of the state of water bodies, once this drought situation is overcome. These hydrotaps will be made twice a week and for six hours each maneuver.

The measure has been analyzed in-depth from both a technical perspective, regarding the optimization of water management, and one related to environmental conservation. The study of the proposed parameters not only ensures the availability of water for reservoirs but also guarantees the reversibility of the impact of the measure on the biodiversity of the affected river stretches.