The budgets of the Generalitat for 2023 are voted on tomorrow and despite the fact that the PSC has introduced a few changes to the law, fiscal measures, such as the suppression of the pilot plan for universal basic income, without agreeing on them, the accounts will be approved without difficulties. A stage that has lasted for months and from which the Government will surely have an issue to which it will have to focus all its efforts: the drought. The reservoirs in Catalonia are at 27% of their capacity and there has been no normal rainfall regime for 29 months. With this general panorama, Pere Aragonès has announced today that in the next few days he will call a summit to deal with the drought.
The President's intention is for there to be a broad political consensus to mark a roadmap based on a decree on the hydrological plan on the basins of Catalonia. "My will is to be able to convene a summit on water with representatives of all parliamentary groups to share diagnosis, the Government's measures and to receive contributions", explained the Republican, before appealing to citizen and business awareness and public administrations about The consumption of water. "This is serious; We are facing a very difficult situation that will require the effort of the whole world ”, he warned.
Before a question from the first secretary of the PSC, Salvador Illa, Aragonès has announced some of the measures that he intends to propose at that summit: activation of all existing aquifers, a commitment to reclaimed water that will involve specific actions in industries in the field of the lower part of the Llobregat and the need to activate some water treatment plants, and actions to "reduce consumption in order to increase resilience".
Thus, the President of the Generalitat has ensured that 200 million euros will be invested in the drinking water treatment plants in the Besòs and Llobregat basins. In addition, 260 million euros will be allocated for the construction of the new water treatment plant in the Besòs basin, and another 250 million for the expansion of the Tordera desalination plant.
"The drought situation worries us," insisted Aragonès, who recalled at the same time that in 2022 resources for the contribution of non-river water sources were activated, such as regenerated and desalinated water. He has estimated the contribution to the system at 160 cubic hectometres, “the equivalent of two full Sau swamps”.
For the head of the Government, the drought is not a one-off episode and one that will last and repeat itself in the coming years, which is why a specific investment plan is necessary. Catalonia is facing a drought similar to that of 2008, from which a prevention scheme arose that, in the Republican's opinion, has served to alleviate the effects of the current water shortage. To date, the exceptional phase has been declared in the Ter-Llobregat and Muga-Fluvià basins, which affect up to six million citizens. In addition, water is being transferred from the Sau reservoir to Susqueda to preserve the quality of the water in the first reservoir.
