The Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (AMB), the administration that organizes the water service in the 36 municipalities around Barcelona, has approved the plan to launch the operation to reduce the pressure of the water supply and respond to the restrictions imposed by the Generalitat in the face of the imminent drought emergency. The intention is to begin the reduction of water pressure in municipalities that exceed 200 liters per person per day for all uses, established in the allocations set by the Generalitat. "We will act immediately in these municipalities", Martín Gullón, director of the AMB's water cycle area, told this newspaper.
The municipalities in the metropolitan area that exceed the allocation for the emergency phase are Cervelló, La Palma de Cervelló, Corbera de Llobregat, Sant Vicens dels Horts and Begues, according to data from November 2023.
In the case of Barcelona, where water consumption for all uses is 173 liters per person per day, the forecast is that this reduction in pressure must be implemented in phase 3 of the emergency ( when consumption could not exceed 160 litres), which could happen "in a few months, if it doesn't rain", says the head of the AMB's water cycle.
The mayors of the metropolitan area will hold a meeting today in which they will be informed of the prepared device.
The management of the AMB has approved a decree called the operational contingency plan in a drought situation, which establishes how to act in the face of the imminent entry into emergency. The document will be validated by the plenary session of the Metropolitan Council on the 30th of this month.
"We will not cut off the water anywhere because if the supply is cut, problems arise and it is easy for accidental breaks to occur," says Gullón. The idea is to decrease the water pressure "little by little, to affect as few people as possible and try to avoid problems", adds this manager of the AMB, who promises coordination between councils, the Metropolitan Area and water companies
The plan organizes actions in 270 sectors and 133 pressure zones. "Naturally, those who will be most affected when the pressure is reduced will be those who live on the highest floors", says Gullón. It has been planned to modulate both the night and daytime pressure, "so that the impact is minimal". Under normal conditions, nighttime pressure is lower. And 73 critical supply points have been identified (hospitals, residences...) whose supply in perfect conditions must be especially preserved.
"If someone lives next to a hospital, it's more difficult for them to have any problems with water," Gullón says graphically, specifying that the device should be "the tighter and more surgical the better." The decrease will take place depending on the need to adjust to the endowments imposed by the Generalitat.
The metropolitan area as a whole consumes an average of 170 liters per person per day for all uses (173 in the case of Barcelona), according to data from November 2023, which are considered representative. These amounts are clearly lower than those required by the Drought Plan at level 1 of the emergency (200 liters per person per day for all uses), but these municipal allocations would gradually decrease if it continues without rain (180 liters at level 2 emergency and 160 in emergency level 3), which requires action.
However, five metropolitan municipalities exceed the bar of 200 liters and would be the first where these actions would be activated. "We will start with the municipalities that exceed 200 liters a day", says Gullón. According to the data provided by the Catalan Water Agency, this threshold is exceeded in Cervelló (282 liters per person and day for all uses), La Palma de Cervelló (278), Corbera de Llobregat (262 ), Sant Vicenç dels Horts (235) and Begues (213), according to November data.
"We will not reduce the pressure without first warning the population", explains Guillón. The situation in the municipality of Barcelona is, on the other hand, much more favorable, since its consumption (173 liters for all uses) gives room to delay the pressure reduction for "a few months" if it does not rain. But if a level 3 emergency is reached, no more than 160 liters could be consumed and the belt would have to be tightened. This would happen when the Ter and Llobregat reservoirs drop to 33 hm3. They are now at 103 hm3, very close to the emergency entrance (100 hm3).
Guillon relativizes the importance that can have an action segmented by municipalities. "The metropolitan area must be considered as a whole, since the municipal water networks do not distinguish between municipalities. The way they are exploited takes into account the pressure, apart from the population in question". The criterion it takes into account to order the pressure serves to optimize energy consumption.
The Metropolitan Area of Barcelona has activated the regulation of the metropolitan service of the integral water cycle with regard to infringements in a drought situation. Its implementation has been done through a decree, as part of a metropolitan ordinance, which specifies the uncivil actions that could lead to fines for individuals in the face of the drought. This decree was approved in December and communicated to the Metropolitan Council. In this way, conduct that contradicts the prohibitions established in the Spatial Drought Plan of the Generalitat can be sanctioned.
"The procedure will be opened by each City Council and will be communicated to us, so that when it arrives we will impose the sanctions", said Martín Gullón, director of the AMB's Water Cycle area. Some councils have already opened files, but so far there have been no sanctions. “Now we will begin; we will receive the information and impose the penalty", explains Guillón.
The decree recalls that it is prohibited to use water for irrigation of gardens and green areas, as well as the cleaning with potable water of streets, pavements, facades and others, except if it is regenerated water. In the same way, it is forbidden to fill swimming pools and there are strong limitations for the cleaning of vehicles.
The text will be updated based on the amendments to the Drought Plan approved on Tuesday by the Government of the Generalitat. The metropolitan regulation of the water cycle foresees sanctions in various degrees, with minor (up to 750 euros), serious (from 751 to 1,500 euros) and very serious (from 1,501 to 3,000 euros) violations.
Cleaning cars is considered a minor offense and a penalty of 30 euros is set. Watering a garden of up to 250 m2 is also classified as a minor offense and can be fined 50 euros. And filling a pool of up to 72 m2 (with a volume of less than 72 m3) can be a minor offense and is subject to a fine of up to 200 euros. The gradation of the penalty takes into account for each infraction the irrigated surface, the extent and volume of the pool that is filled or the consumption made in excess. "In any case, the adoption by the infringer of immediate measures to correct the infraction is considered mitigating", say AMB sources.
