The Government has chosen to avoid an advance of the emergency phase due to the drought, as it has been studying for some time. The reason? Above all, it does not want to cause harm to economic activities with new restrictions that could be very harmful. The Executive has given the go-ahead to what it has called the "pre-emergency" phase, a stage that was not foreseen in the special drought plan (2020). And it does so with the intention of exhausting the possibilities of savings in various sectors and to "cause the least possible harm", although it is admitted that "the emergency is at hand". With current developments, the emergency would perhaps arrive in the second half of December, when the reservoirs are at 16% of their capacity (now they are at 18.5%).
The decision not to advance the emergency phase (as a preventive option) aims not to harm the interests of certain economic sectors. Since the spring, most of the restrictions have been applied to the agricultural, livestock and industrial sectors (which have had water allocations cut by 40%, 30% and 15% respectively). The emergency declaration would raise these water use limitations to 80%, 50% and 25% respectively. The Catalan Water Agency (ACA) reminds us that additional water restrictions could be very harmful to industry and companies, to the point that they could affect employment. For this reason, "a balance" is sought so as not to damage their economies and at the same time guarantee supply.
Another reason for the "pre-emergency" is that in the last year there has not been a significant reduction in water consumption in the metropolitan region, despite the gravity of the situation.
In this new phase of the drought, the allocations to the municipalities of the Barcelona and Girona region (served by the Ter and the Llobregat) are cut, which go from 230 to 210 liters per person per day (for all uses, including domestic, urban, municipal...).
The Government activates this alarm as a "warning to the citizen", as a warning that must be translated into a more adequate knowledge of the measures already established to restrict the use of drinking water (filling of private swimming pools and for individual or family use, cleaning streets and cars, filling ornamental fountains...). The ban on watering the grass in public and private areas will be maintained and, in addition, the availability of water for federated sports activities will be halved (football fields, such as Barça's...), which goes from 450 m³ to 200 m³ per hectare per month.
The measure that limits the provision of water to 210 liters per person per day in the municipalities opens the door for them to take new extraordinary measures to save water. The Generalitat invites them or requires them, depending on the case. This reduced supply of water will not have a direct and immediate impact on the first metropolitan crown (causing them, for example, to reduce network pressure) since these cities are consuming less water than the set threshold.
But it will force action accordingly in other localities that consume more water, such as Argentona (which spends 291 liters per person per day), Alella (227), l'Ametlla del Vallès (277), Llinars (229), Granollers (224), Matadepera (468), Sant Feliu de Guíxols (225) or Olesa de Montserrat (224), and that they will have to decide how they respond to this change of scenery.
Based on the new endowments, the municipalities have the autonomy to decide how they adjust to them. Those responsible for the Generalitat do not assess whether the municipalities must reduce the pressure of the network, but this is one of the options that can be included in their emergency plans for the drought. "From the ACA we cannot force it; we do not enter local autonomy", they say, although logically files will continue to be opened if more is consumed than stipulated. In the case of Barcelona, this reduction could come with a level 3 emergency, when the allocation would be 160 liters (and now it uses 170).
The Aigües de Barcelona company has carried out technical tests which have allowed it to be verified that a saving of 7.6% has been obtained. However, this company has pointed out that the possible drop in pressure would apply to municipalities that exceed the maximum water supply.
On the other hand, from the ACA it is stated that the pressure drop is perhaps an effective preventive measure that municipalities can use to reduce consumption before other, more drastic options. The Metropolitan Area of Barcelona has not explained its plans.
