The advance of the drought and the appearance of new buildings in the old town of Sant Romà that had not been seen before, such as the medieval bridge or the flour mill, has resulted in an increase in visitors to the Sau reservoir, which has become the main thermometer of water scarcity in Catalonia. On peak days, it can receive visits from more than 2,000 people.
Starting today and during all weekends until the month of April (and between Maundy Thursday and Easter Monday) the Consorci de l'Espai Natural de les Guilleries-Savassona will charge all those who want to park their vehicle in the swamp picnic area parking lot. A space with capacity for 70 cars, 20 motorcycles and two vehicles for people with reduced mobility.
The amount to be paid will be 5 euros per day for cars and 2 euros for motorcycles, money that will be used to pay part of the cost of the environmental information staff and the services offered by this swamp recreation area. Users must reserve parking online and can do so on the same day as long as there are spaces available.
The objective of this restriction, as explained by the director of the Espai Natural, Sònia Llobet, is to “organize the flow of visitors”, after the so-called drought tourism has skyrocketed in recent months, and to raise awareness among the public that they are in a protected area. We also want to guarantee a “safe” and “pleasant” visit, avoiding collapses on the road and dangerous situations.
The two informants that have been hired will focus on the obligations that the user has in this space, such as keeping pets on a leash or not wanting to access the sheet of water due to the risk of getting trapped in the mud. Situations like this occur every day. The Firefighters even rescued a man last February, with mud up to his legs, when he could not get out of the quagmire.
This is not the first time that motorized access has been regulated in some areas of the swamp during periods of high traffic, but it is the first time that it does not have the support of the Vilanova de Sau City Council.
“Twenty-odd years ago we spent a fortune to attract tourists and now we cut them off? “Everyone has the right to visit the bell tower,” explains the current mayor, Jaume Orra (Som-hi Vilanova i Sau Candidatura de Progrés), who criticizes that the paid parking “will be an area for four privileged people.”
A couple of months ago, the current City Council has enabled another parking space, next to the yacht club, with capacity for about 400 vehicles. A free space completely independent of the parking area of the swamp recreation area, which from today is payable.
Two administrations that are currently not rowing in the same direction. Between July and September 2021, a pilot regulation test was carried out on access to the Sau Valley with a private vehicle.
Starting in August of that year, the number of visitors skyrocketed and the year closed with 71,000 users. Periods of intermittent regulation have been repeated since then, actions that had had the support of the previous municipal government.
A preserve for motorized access that some nearby businesses do not like. Èric Vilamitjana, owner of the Can Morilla restaurant, explains that last year with the restrictions he reduced his clientele to less than half during several weekends. Others consider it “absurd” to pay, although they recognize that businesses cannot afford the high influx of public that the most photographed reservoir in Catalonia receives.
