In response to the worsening drought conditions gripping Barcelona, Girona, and their surrounding areas, the Government of Catalonia has taken decisive action. On Thursday, Catalonia’s President Pere Aragonès and Climate Action Minister David Mascort declared a state of emergency following an extraordinary meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission on Drought.
The declaration comes as regional reservoirs dip below the critical threshold of 100 cubic hectometres, signaling an urgent need for intervention. Specifically, the Ter-Llobregat system faces imminent peril, prompting the implementation of stringent measures to safeguard dwindling water supplies.
One of the key directives involves imposing restrictions on the refilling of swimming pools within hotels, campsites, and water parks. These establishments are now mandated to utilize seawater exclusively for pool replenishment, provided they aren’t linked to freshwater networks. This strategy aims to conserve precious freshwater resources for essential human consumption amidst the precipitous decline in reservoir levels across the Ter-Llobregat system.
