62km of water pipes will be laid alongside the AP-7 toll motorway over the next few months to carry water from the Ebro river delta in Tarragona to address the extreme water shortage in Barcelona. This was the main outcome of a meeting yesterday between Environment minister and regional president José Montilla in Barcelona yesterday.

The deadline for the project, the budget for which is €160 million euros, has been brought forward by fifteen months, and must now be completed by the end of next October.

It will enable three cubic hectometres of water to be diverted each month.

At this stage, it is not known exactly how the project's funding will be shared between the national and regional governments.

Regional opposition leader Artur Mas has a meeting scheduled for later today to discuss the water shortage crisis with Mr Montilla at the regional government's Barcelona city-centre headquarters.
 
Drought closes Barcelona beach showers
By: thinkSPAIN
Tuesday, April 8, 2008

The showers on Barcelona's beaches have been closed, there has been a drastic reduction in the amount of water being used to irrigate the regional capital's public parks and gardens (only 18% are being watered regularly), and ground water is being used to clean the city's streets.

These are some of the measures in place to cope with the severe water shortage currently affecting the area, though regional Environment bosses continue to insist that domestic supplies are not at threat.

The public have been doing their bit too, and at 106 litres per person per day, consumption levels are close to the 100 litres recommended by the World Health Organisation.

Large customers such as FC Barcelona, El Corte Inglés, El Club de Polo, Port 2000 and Deutsche Bank are being supplied with a combination of ground (phreatic) water and recycled water from the plants in Llobregat and el Besòs.

€22 million a month to ship in water for parched northeast
By: thinkSPAIN
Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Regional Environment minister, Francesc Baltasar, confirmed yesterday that it will cost an estimated €22 million euros a month to ship in 2.6 cubic hectometres of water for the drought-stricken Cataluña region from Tarragona, Carboneras (Almería) and Marseilles.

The first two of the ten tankers to be used in the operation will arrive in Barcelona from Tarragona port just down the coast during the first fortnight in May with a further five tankers from Marseilles expected in the second half of the month.

However, Barcelona will not receive any water from the new desalination facility in Carboneras (Almería) until August at least as construction work is still under way.

National train operator Renfe have confirmed that they will be ready to start carrying water by rail within three months, although they will only be able to transport one 25th of the total that will be brought in by sea.

€3,000 euro fines for breaking hosepipe ban
By: thinkSPAIN
Friday, March 28, 2008

Amid growing fears of another serious drought this summer, the inhabitants of the 33 towns and villages that constitute the Association of Municipalities of Metropolitan Barcelona (AMB) face fines of up to €3,000 for water wastage.

Using water to water your garden, fill your swimming pool, or wash your car on the street are among the activities that will not be permitted from the start of next week.

Regional and Local Police officers, as well as council water inspectors will be mainly responsible for enforcing the ban though local Environment officer, Francesc Narváez, is hoping that the public will cooperate by informing the authorities of suspected cases of non-compliance.

Mr Narváez went on to warn that an emergency level drought alert could be issued imminently as recent rain and snow falls have not been sufficient to reverse the decline in the region's reservoir levels.

Notwithstanding, he went on to reassure the public that there is absolutely no threat to domestic water supplies this summer as contingency plans, that include shipping in water by sea, are in place.

Mr Narváez also went on to explain that AMB inhabitants consume significantly less water (182 litres per person per day) than the average for the region as a whole (270 litres per person per day).

The photo was taken on World Water Day (March 22nd) beneath the C-254 road bridge in Sant Boi de Llobregat (Barcelona) over the parched Llobregat riverbed.