News, June 2005

Winter drought brings stored water to record lows

1 May, 29th June. The environment minister, Cristina Narbona has called on all to conserve water, after winter rainfall (November to March) was at its lowest since 1947. Levels in the reservoirs, as we head into the usually dry summer season, can only guarantee supplies to homes until October. And she fears that this may be the first in a series of dry years.

In some regions, such as dry Murcia, where intensive agriculture combines with coastal holiday and retirement homes (10,000 British live there permanently), water may need to be rationed earlier. At 29th June the reserves in the region are down to 14.6% and falling by almost 1% weekly. During the preceding week above average rainfall in the central mountains and Eastern side of the peninsula, particularly the catchment area of Cuenca and Teruel, was a great encouragement, but only temporary relief. Overall the situation did not improve.

Madrid's Water supply! (EFE)

14th June. The governments of Valencia and Murcia, regions most affected by the drought and beloved of British and European tourists, have declared today that they are willing to pay the full amount needed to build a 'water highway' to bring Pyrenean water from the Ebro basin to the south east coast. A national plan approved by the previous government has now been shelved as uneconomic and unlikely to bring the desired results: when drought hits the south east, the north east is equally hit, even if it still has more water.