The regions of Barcelona and Girona, which are supplied mainly from the dwindling resources of the Ter and Llobregat, will enter an emergency phase, if it does not rain, in September, according to the new forecasts of the Catalan Water Agency (ACA) , body in charge of hydrological planning. This emergency situation would mean that the municipalities will have to implement their emergency plans in the face of the drought, in which a reduction in water pressure or time cuts appear as extreme solutions (to save resources).
These restrictions are a municipal competence, but the technicians of the ACA prefer to decrease the pressure of the supply, instead of the time cuts, since this option could cause problems in the supply network.
The level of the reservoirs in the central region of Catalonia at the moment is at 26% of its maximum capacity. And the flow of the Ter river in Ripoll (Girona) and that of the Llobregat in Guardiola del Berguedà (Barcelona) are at historic lows.
The weather forecasts do not foresee a change in trend and "no major episode of precipitation in the medium and long term" is foreseen, the Government points out. Since January, a slight decrease in water consumption has been detected (5 liters per person per day). But the savings efforts are insufficient to stop the decrease in resources, while a rise in consumption is expected in the summer months.
If it doesn't rain in the coming weeks, the opportunity that spring represents to gain resources (something that would hardly happen in summer) and recover the level of reserves necessary to face the summer with guarantees will be lost.
In its attempt to preserve the reserves, the ACA has carried out a transfer of water from the Sau reservoir towards Susqueda, in the Ter, to prevent these flows from being degraded by fish mortality and the lack of of oxygen
However, this transfer had to be stopped because it was found that the quality of the remaining water "started to deteriorate" as a result of high concentrations of ammonium. For this reason, stricter controls will be carried out; and although the transfer will not be paralyzed, water will be transferred in smaller quantities.
Samuel Reyes, director of the ACA, director of the ACA, clearly defended the opportunity and the convenience of this solution, recalling that a desalination plant costs about 120 million to achieve the production of 20 hm3. On the other hand, the transfer of Sau water has cost 140,000 euros (to save 15 hm3).
The water restrictions in the current phase of exceptionality in the region are focused on the agricultural, livestock and industrial sectors (with cuts of 40%, 30% and 15%). And the use of potable water to irrigate public and private parks and green areas has been banned. But if the emergency is declared, the limitations for these uses will rise to 80%, 50% and 25%, respectively. And, in addition, the current allocation (230 liters per person per day for all uses) would be cut to 200 l/person/day.
Of the 64 municipalities with more than 20,000 people required to have this document, 61 have already submitted it. Of these, 27 have obtained the endorsement of the ACA, 23 are in the process and 11 must include improvements or corrections . There are only three that have not yet delivered it. "Before the summer everyone will have it", he emphasized.
In the meantime, the Generalitat has begun to transfer to the central government the investment needs for hydraulic infrastructure in the metropolitan region. The most outstanding investments focus on the two new desalination plants (Blanes and Cubelles), the improvement of the Llobregat and Besòs water treatment plants, two new water treatment plants on the Besòs and actions to increase the reuse of regenerated water, among other actions. In total, the necessary investment is close to 1,000 million euros.
To obtain co-financing, the ACA prepares a document that should be adopted by the Ministry and the Government before being handed over to the Central Government. "These are works agreed upon by all parties, basic and technically viable. They will be undertaken anyway, but if they receive help from the State, as other communities have had in other droughts, it will be very useful" to speed them up, said Samuel Reyes.
