The region of Barcelona and Girona, which are mainly supplied by the dwindling resources of the Ter and Llobregat, will enter the emergency phase, if it does not rain, in September, according to new forecasts from the Agència Catalana de l'Aigua ( ACA), agency in charge of hydrological planning. The entry into this emergency situation would mean that the municipalities should implement their emergency plans to deal with the drought, in which a reduction in water pressure or time cuts appear as extreme solutions (to save resources). The specific actions at the municipal level for the emergency phase are a local competence, although the ACA technicians are more inclined to reduce the pressure of the supply, instead of time cuts, which could cause problems in the supply.
Both the spokesperson for the Government, Patrícia Plaja, and the director of the ACA, Samuel Reyes, recall that the level of the reservoirs in the central region of Catalonia is currently at 26% of its maximum capacity. The flow of the River Ter in Ripoll (Girona) and that of the Llobregat in Guardiola de Berguedà (Barcelona) are "at historic lows".
The weather forecasts, moreover, "do not point to a change in trend", since "no significant episode of rainfall is expected in the medium-long term". Since January, a slight decrease in water consumption has been detected (5 liters per person per day); but the efforts that are being made to save water are not enough to stop the decline in resources, while a rebound in consumption is expected in the summer months. The situation is especially dramatic because if it does not rain for the next few weeks, the great 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 available reserves as much as possible, the ACA has carried out a transfer of water from the Sau reservoir to Susqueda -Ter- to prevent these flows from being degraded by a death of fish and the lack of oxygen, which that would degrade water quality. About 15 hm3 have been transferred (there are now about 10 hm3), which is equivalent to the consumption of a million people for six months, while several tons of fish (invasive species that must be killed) have been extracted.
However, this transfer has had to be stopped since it has been verified that the quality of the remaining water "has begun to worsen" when high concentrations of ammonia appear. For this reason, stricter controls will be carried out; and although the transfer will not be paralyzed, water will be transferred in smaller quantities.
Reyes clearly defended this solution, recalling that the future Foix (Cunit) desalination plant would cost 120 million euros -only in construction- to achieve the production of 20 hm3. On the other hand, the transfer of the water from Sau has cost 140,000 euros (to save 15 hm3)
The water restrictions in the current phase of exceptionality in the central region of Catalonia are focused on the agricultural, livestock and industrial sectors (with cuts of 40%, 30% and 15%). And the use of drinking water for irrigation of parks and public and private green areas has been prohibited. But if the emergency is decreed, the limitations for those uses will rise by 80%, 50% and 25% respectively. And, in addition, the current endowment (230 liters per person per day for all uses) would be cut to 200 liters per person per day.
Reyes highlighted that in recent weeks the municipalities have been accelerating the presentation of their drought plans. Of the 64 municipalities required to have this document (to plan water savings and distribution, also in the emergency phase), 61 have already submitted it. Of these, 27 have obtained a favorable endorsement from the ACA, 23 are in process and 11 should include improvements or corrections. Only three remaining have not yet delivered it. “It is certain that before the summer, everyone will have it,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, the Generalitat has already communicated to the representatives of the central government -it did so last week- the investment needs for hydraulic infrastructures for the metropolitan area derived from its current deficit. The most notable investments are focused on the two new desalination plants (Blanes and Cubelles), the improvement in the Llobregat and Besòs water treatment plants, two new water treatment plants in Besòs and actions to increase the reuse of reclaimed water.
In total, the necessary investment is close to 1,000 million euros. To achieve co-financing, the ACA prepares a document that should be assumed by the Ministry and the Government before being delivered to the central Government. “They are works agreed upon by all parties, basic and technically viable. They are going to be carried out 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.
