Although we will have to wait for the Drought Expert Committee to meet throughout the month of May and make its decision on the matter known, the Andalusian Government has announced that the province of Malaga will be able to fill its swimming pools, both the community ones as well as the private ones. Until now, as determined by the regional government, service would be permitted in public pools, those belonging to hotels, as well as those for therapeutic purposes, however, and given the recent rains and the current situation of the basins, now This authorization is extended to private ones.
After several months without clarifying their position too much, generating uncertainty among the city councils, which had to make this type of decisions, and discomfort among the citizens themselves, who did not see it as fair that the hotels could offer this service while the neighboring residents of the province feared spending a long summer without this relief to combat high temperatures, the Board takes some steps back.
Without losing sight of the fact that “we are in a drought”, the Minister of Sustainability, Environment and Blue Economy and spokesperson for the Andalusian Government, Ramón Fernández-Pacheco, announced the measure this Tuesday, since he stated that the announcement was “referential”. to the province of Málaga”, although in the rest a “region by region” study will be carried out to assess the possibilities.
At the moment, those points dependent on the Guadalquivir Hydrographic Basin already had the approval to do so, as announced a week ago when the restrictive measures on water use were lifted. Now it remains to be seen how water will be managed in the basins under the jurisdiction of the Government led by Juanma Moreno.
Although the Board emphasizes that it is the town councils of each area that must make decisions in this regard and appeals to the responsibility of local governments to manage this matter. Of course, they admit that they will accompany the Malaga municipal entities during the process. In the case of Malaga, they have met with the Drought Committee to “coordinate measures” to avoid “deep disparities” between one municipality and another.
Fernández-Pacheco argued that the province of Málaga presents “a particular reality compared to the rest of Andalusia due to the amount of population that the province hosts in the summer months,” and “the more inhabitants who reside in Málaga, the more water consumption there is.” the province, which is also “a leader without any doubt in tourism matters” in Andalusia, as he also highlighted before maintaining along these lines that “the filling of swimming pools was of special importance” in the territory of Malaga. “The important thing,” he said, “is that we are able to find that balance between economic development, the attractiveness of tourism, because it creates a lot of employment, because it gives many opportunities, because it is very beneficial for the territory, with the necessary “We must be careful with a resource that is scarce like water.”
From Axarquía, a region hit hard by the drought, the option of filling the pools with non-potable water from wells was already being considered, while on the Costa del Sol there were places, such as Estepona, that already assumed that they were going to be able to fill them. Málaga capital also followed the same line, although it advocated reaching an agreement between all the affected municipalities. After the Board’s announcement, they will ask the Commission for Drought Management of the Hydrographic Demarcation of the Andalusian Mediterranean Basins to lift the restrictions this summer, as well as to allow survival risks in gardens and reactivate fountains. to drink.
The situation remains critical in Almería, where Storm Nelson barely irrigated the area and where doubts remain unclear. A tough summer is coming, yes. At the moment, and in accordance with the indications of the Board, the filling or refilling of swimming pools is authorized in public, sports, hotel, camping and therapeutic swimming pools, but it is not yet known if the opening of any other private ones will be allowed. The guidelines set by the regional government also do not determine whether it would be possible to have non-potable or saline water, so this mystery has yet to be resolved.
In Córdoba the situation is also complex in some parts of the province. In fact, and at the expense of knowing what determination each council will adopt and which must be communicated through one party, the area of ??influence of the Iznájar reservoir remains in a critical state. To such an extent that the Provincial Council advises that the restrictions be maintained. The same thing also happens in the north, in Sierra Boyera, which, despite the fact that the reservoirs are in a better situation, caution is advised.
In Granada there are also inequalities between territories. The Costa Tropical has already announced that they will maintain limitations on the use and consumption of water, so the filling of swimming pools, baleo or ornamental fountains with non-closed circuits remain prohibited. At the expense of making a firm decision in the coming weeks, it seems that, at the moment, there is no news.
In Seville the situation has improved and has a better prognosis than in recent months. For now, the restrictions have been lifted and it seems that, if there are no changes, the filling of the pools will be allowed. Cádiz will also allow swimming, although it will be the city councils that must decide on this matter based on their particularities. Huelva is left to each locality to publish its opinion based on its water reserves.
In this regard, the Government Council has learned this Tuesday of the situation of the Andalusian reservoirs, which store 5,235 cubic hectometers and are at 43.75% of their total storage capacity, experiencing a decrease of one hm3 (-0, 01%) in the last week, as reported by the spokesperson.
If this volume is compared with that of the same week in 2023, there are 1,911 cubic hectometers (hm3) more. In relation to the average of the last decade, 1,684 hm3 less are recorded, with an average of 6,919 hm3 (57.82%).
Regarding the hydrographic demarcations, that of the Guadalquivir reaches 3,799 hm3, which represents 47.31% of its total capacity, so that there have been no changes compared to the previous week. If compared to the same week in 2023, 1,837 hm3 more impounded are recorded. In relation to the average of the last ten years – 4,544 hm3, 56.59% – there are 745 hm3 less.
The water impounded in the Andalusian Mediterranean Basins amounts to 371 hm3, which represents 32.18%. Its total storage capacity is 1,152.83 hm3. Compared to last week, there has been an increase of 3 hm3, which represents an increase of 0.26%. If compared to the same dates in 2023, there are 41 hm3 less, since the resources stored at those times were 412 hm3 (35.74%). In relation to the average of the last ten years – 651 hm3, 56.47% – there are 280 hm3 less.
The water impounded in the Guadalete-Barbate district, with a total capacity of 1,651 hm3, amounts to 504 hm3 (30.53%). There has been a decrease of two hm3 in the last week (-0.12%). When comparing this volume with that available during the same week in 2023, when the stored resources were 440 hm3 (26.65%), there are 64 hm3 more. Regarding the average of the last ten years – 982 hm3, 59.48% – there are 478 hm3 less.
Finally, the Tinto-Odiel-Piedras-Chanza district accumulates 561 hm3, a volume that represents 50.32% taking into account its total capacity, which amounts to 1,114.95 hm3. Compared to the previous week, there was a decrease of two hm3 (-0.18%). If compared to the volume available in 2023 on the same dates, there are 51 hm3 more. In relation to the average of the last seven years – 742 hm3, 66.55% – there are 181 hm3 less.
