First-ever drought emergency in Catalonia Spain: 200 ltr per person daily

Starting from Friday, February 2, Spain's populous northeastern region of  Catalonia is officially in a ‘drought emergency’. This is the first time this has happened. The government of the Generalitat has announced this. This will impact 6 million people in Barcelona and Girona. Each person can only use up to 200 liters of water per day.

The Ter and Llobregat rivers' reservoirs, which provide water to 6 million people in northern Catalonia, maintain less than 16% of their capacity. This condition sets a historical low for a region that has witnessed three years of high temperatures and low rainfall, a pattern that climate change is likely to exacerbate. A 2022 study revealed that the Iberian Peninsula is experiencing its driest conditions in 1,200 years.

"We are entering a new climate reality," Catalan Regional President Pere Aragones said on announcing the emergency. "It is more than likely we will see more droughts that will be both more intense and more frequent."

The drought emergency affects rural communities in the Catalan countryside disproportionately, which are already struggling to find water for drinking and livestock. The limitations have cut down water access for herd animals by 50% and crop irrigation by 80%.

"Dante Maschio, spokesperson for the Catalan nonprofit Aigua es vida, or Water Is Life, organization, says "The fact that this drought makes headlines only because it affects Barcelona is telling… when for several months we have had villages in the Pyrenees enduring water shortages and needing to have water trucked in."

Drought scenarios

The emergency phase is the third and most serious scenario of the four that are proposed, as it contemplates situations of great severity.

Phases:

1. Alert phase: administrative and operational preparation for the effective start of the declaration of an operational drought situation.

2. Phase 1 of reductions: reduction of consumption through incentive and dissuasive measures and increase in the availability of resources through the transfer between uses and the execution of rapid incorporation works.

3. Phase 2 of restrictions: Reduction of consumption with the reinforcement of coercive measures with greater socioeconomic impact.

4. Emergency Phase 3: scenarios of great severity, with far-reaching economic and social effects.

Practical implications of the emergency phase

The emergency phase 3 has three parts. In the first part, everyone can only use up to 200 liters of water per day. This includes water for businesses, factories, fun activities, or personal use. In the second and third parts, this amount goes down to 180 and 160 liters per day, and there are more rules.

When this emergency starts, farmers can only use 80% of the water they usually use for watering crops. People who raise animals can only use 50% of their usual water. Factories and fun places like parks can only use 75% of their usual water.

People can’t use drinking water to clean streets and other public places, unless there’s an accident or fire. But they can use recycled water or water from underground.

You can’t wash your car unless you go to a car wash place that recycles water.

How does emergency declaration affect?

The declaration of emergency due to drought entails the most severe restrictions on use ever seen before and will change - while it lasts - the relationship with water of six million people living in the metropolitan area of ​​Barcelona and a large part of the province of Girona.

1. Lower faucet pressure: AMB plans to reduce water pressure in some areas.
2. Car washing restrictions: Car washing only at places that recycle water.
3. Save water at home: Try to use less than 90 liters of water per person each day.
4. Different street cleaning methods: Use recycled or groundwater for street cleaning.
5. Less water for businesses: Less water for farming, raising animals, and industries.
6. Swim in salt water: Only salt water for hotel and campsite pools.
7. No beach showers or foam parties: No showers at the beach or water-intensive events.
8. Watering restrictions for gardens and green areas: Only use recycled or groundwater for watering gardens and green areas.

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