For some time now, the Generalitat and the Catalan Water Agency (ACA) have been warning that sooner rather than later Catalonia will enter a state of emergency (there has always been talk of the end of December). Well, this Tuesday another step was taken in that direction. Both the Government spokesperson, Patrícia Plaja, and the director of the ACA, Samuel Reyes, have warned – after the meeting of the Interdepartmental Drought Commission and the Executive Council – that “in the coming days” the country will enter a phase of “pre-emergency”, that is, a scenario between the exceptional phase and the emergency phase. The idea, Reyes has put forward, is to enter a “preparatory stage that could last between a month and a month and a half” before reaching the state of emergency. This will translate into more restrictions, although the director of the ACA wanted to emphasize that domestic consumption "is guaranteed."
Both could not have been more explicit: Catalonia is facing the worst drought it has ever suffered since data was available, that is, since 1915. For this reason, Plaja detailed, "extraordinary measures must be taken" without waiting for the reservoirs reach the limit of 16% (now they are at 18.89%).
As an example of the "critical situation" that Catalonia is experiencing, the spokesperson wanted to emphasize that five of the last six wet seasons (spring and autumn) have been either "dry or very dry." Hence, she argued that “Catalonia had never had to face such a critical drought” due to “completely insufficient” rainfall.
Reyes, for his part, has stated that it is the "worst drought" due to its duration - for 36 months -, its intensity - because the rains are below average - and the affected area - which is a large part of Catalunya-. In this sense, he wanted to emphasize that Catalonia (specifically the Ter-Llobregat system, which is the one that concentrates the bulk of the population) could enter a pre-emergency phase next week, which would be an intermediate stage between the exceptionality and emergency.
Likewise, he has indicated that the reservoirs in the internal basins have received 300 cubic hectometers less water during the drought, "which is equivalent to three times the La Baells reservoir or two times that of Susqueda." In this sense, he explained that this rainfall deficit has been compensated with desalination and water regeneration processes and with the opening of wells. And all this - he stressed - thanks to the activation of the drought plan two years ago.
He also explained that the drought is being very noticeable in the Empordà. And he has given an example: the Darnius reservoir has reserves for 8 or 9 months.
For all these reasons, he pointed out that Catalonia is "at a turning point" and that now they are more worried than in September because, then, there was a window of possible rain ahead, which in the end did not end up falling.
However, he has appealed to raise public awareness. And not only at home, also at work, at the gym... he has detailed what the ideal consumption is at home: 90 liters per person per day. "We are entering a complicated period," she indicated.
Meanwhile, the company Aigües de Barcelona has been carrying out pressure tests at various points in the supply network in the Barcelona area to check the condition of these pipes in the event of an emergency situation, which could lead to the adoption of this measure to reduce water consumption, among others.
The technical tests have made it possible to verify that a saving of 7.6% has been obtained in all these areas (in which the maximum provision limit established by the Generalitat in the current phase of exceptionality is not exceeded: 230 liters per person per day for all uses).
However, if the water supply had to be reduced to 180 liters per person per day (emergency level II), the pressure reduction would save 20%.
The tests have been carried out in 16 of the subsectors into which the metropolitan network is divided, as a “sampling” and have been authorized by the competent Administration, the Barcelona Metropolitan Area.
These tests began in September and are now being completed, as explained by Josep Lluís Armenter, project manager for the operations management of Aigües de Barcelona.
“These actions have served us above all to gather information and verify whether what the mathematical model tells us fits reality and to be able to make the necessary modifications,” says Armenter.
The tests have had “practically no impact” on the supply and there have been no complaints from users. The forecast is that these types of measures will be applied in the event that the emergency situation is reached, something that could occur in the coming days. However, the pressure drop would give priority to municipalities that exceed the maximum amount established by the Generalitat (200 liters per person and day for all uses, in the case of level I emergency).
Now none of the 23 municipalities in the Barcelona area served by Aigües exceeds the bar of 230 liters per person and day for all uses set for the current phase of exceptionality), but as the various states of emergency hypothetically enter, that threshold would gradually lower.
If it is necessary to adopt this measure, the initial intention is that the pressure reduction would occur first at night. The spokespersons for Aigües de Barcelona admit that if a pressure reduction has to occur, “unfortunately the first to notice it will be the high floors”, while the lower floors “will not notice it”.
In the areas where tests have been carried out, normal pressure has been restored.
The reduction in pressure will inevitably lead to a reduction in income for the company, but the company emphasizes that “this is not what worries us most now.”
