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Date Published: 20/12/2023

A rainless autumn means water levels are dangerously low in southern Spain

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There are ongoing water restrictions on the Costa del Sol, and other areas of Andalucía are under threat too

A rainless autumn means water levels are dangerously low in southern Spain

Due to a persistent lack of rainfall, people in the south of Spain are suffering from water shortages this winter, and the latest figures show that the water levels in Andalucía’s reservoirs have dropped once again.

Overall, the autonomous community of Andalucía currently has just 20.14% of its total water capacity, which is 940 hectometres cubed (hm3) of water less than this time last year.

The spokesperson for the Andalusian Government and Minister of Sustainability, Ramón Fernández-Pacheco, explained in a press conference that if it does not rain in Andalucía between now and summer there may be “serious supply problems” in some provincial capitals and large municipalities.

He has once again demanded a pact for water at the national level and that the National Drought Roundtable be convened.

Water in Málaga and Almería

In the Andalusian Mediterranean Basins in Málaga and Almería, the dammed water has decreased by 3 hm3 (-0.26%) and the reservoirs are at 19.78% of their capacity, storing 228 hm3.

Some Costa del Sol towns, such as Fuengirola, are subject to water cuts and water pressure in many Costa del Sol towns has been decreased by 20% to help save water.

In parts of Almería city and the nearby town of Aguadulce, the low water levels have even produced a dangerous increase in the radioactivity of the water, making it unsafe to drink.

Water in Cádiz

The Guadalete-Barbate district in Cádiz has registered a decrease of 1 hm3 (-0.09%), with 241 hm3 of water, which is just 14.60% of its total storage capacity.

Water in Huelva

The Tinto-Odiel-Piedras-Chanza basin in Huelva has accumulated, as of December 18, 391 hm3 of stored water resources, which is why it is at 35.07% of its capacity after a recorded decrease of 1 hm3 (-0.09 %).

Water in Sevilla, Granada, Córdoba and Jaén

On the other hand, in the Guadalquivir Hydrographic Demarcation in Seville, Granada, Córdoba and Jaén there has actually been an increase of 4 hm3 (+0.05%) to 1,550 hm3, which represents 19.30% of its total capacity.

At its meeting this Tuesday, the Government learned of the approval of the execution of a new phase of the works to improve the supply in the high Sierra Sur of Seville, specifically the branch that connects the towns of Osuna and La Puebla de Cazalla, within the Écija-Osuna axis.

The execution amount, the construction management and the health and safety coordination of the work add up to an investment of just over 5.5 million euros, with a completion period of 16 months.

The project as a whole benefits a total population of 61,495 inhabitants of the Seville municipalities of Écija, Lantejuela, Osuna, La Puebla de Cazalla, El Rubio, Marinaleda and Herrera.

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