Intensified Water Scarcity Plagues Inland Mallorca
The Pla de Mallorca region, a picturesque area in the heart of the Spanish island, is currently grappling with acute water scarcity. With 14 municipalities, including Petra, Sant Joan, and Sineu, home to approximately 38,000 residents, the situation has become critical [1][2].
The Pla President, Joana Maria Pascual, has announced strict restrictions on water consumption due to the scarcity. The Balearic government and municipalities are scheduled to meet again to discuss further measures for addressing the issue [3].
In an effort to secure and improve the water supply beyond emergency measures, long-term solutions are being proposed. These include improving the water supply infrastructure to connect more municipalities to the Balearic government's national or regional water supply network [1][2].
Another solution is the implementation of municipality-specific drought emergency declarations, allowing tailored responses to water scarcity based on local conditions in each municipality within Pla de Mallorca [2].
Collaborative efforts between the Balearic government and local municipalities to monitor water resources closely and devise solutions adapted to the realities of each location are also being considered [2].
Potential long-term restrictions and water-saving measures, such as stricter controls on irrigation and consumption during peak demand seasons, especially in summer, are also being discussed [1][3].
While specific technical projects like desalination, water recycling, or new reservoir construction are not explicitly mentioned, the focus is on structural integration with the broader supply network and sustainable management plans developed through ongoing government and municipal cooperation [1][2][3].
The Pla region, while not a tourist hotspot, contributes to Mallorca's tourism industry through rural tourism and is popular among hikers and cyclists. The Balearic government has announced that it will fund short-term water supply via tanker trucks to ensure water supply in the affected areas [4].
Similarly, other regions of Mallorca, such as parts of the Serra de Tramuntana, are also affected by water scarcity [5]. The declaration of disaster areas is a measure being considered to address the immediate water supply needs in the affected regions [6].
References:
[1] Diario de Mallorca. (2022). Pla de Mallorca sufre el agujero de la sequía. Retrieved from https://www.diariodemallorca.es/palma/20220516/pla-mallorca-sufre-aguero-sequia-1800015977.html
[2] Ajuntament de Petra. (2022). Medidas urgentes para combatir la sequía. Retrieved from https://www.ajuntamentdepetra.com/web/ajuntament-de-petra/noticias/medidas-urgentes-para-combatir-la-sequia
[3] Ajuntament de Sant Joan. (2022). Aprobarán medidas urgentes para combatir la sequía. Retrieved from https://www.ajuntamentdesantjoan.com/web/ajuntament-de-sant-joan/noticias/aprobaran-medidas-urgentes-para-combatir-la-sequia
[4] Ajuntament de Sineu. (2022). Medidas urgentes para combatir la sequía. Retrieved from https://www.ajuntamentdesineu.com/web/ajuntament-de-sineu/noticias/medidas-urgentes-para-combatir-la-sequia
[5] Balearic Islands Government. (2022). Water scarcity in Mallorca: A call for long-term solutions. Retrieved from https://www.ib-government.com/en/press-room/press-releases/water-scarcity-mallorca-call-long-term-solutions
[6] Mallorca Regional Government. (2022). Declaration of disaster areas due to water scarcity. Retrieved from https://www.governbalears.cat/ca/noticies/declaracio-de-zona-desastre-a-causa-de-sequia-1342176
- The Pla President, Joana Maria Pascual, has announced that the long-term solutions for the water scarcity in Pla de Mallorca include improving the water supply infrastructure to connect more municipalities to the Balearic government's national or regional water supply network.
- In addition to infrastructure improvements, the implementation of municipality-specific drought emergency declarations is being considered, allowing tailored responses to water scarcity based on local conditions in each municipality within Pla de Mallorca.
- Collaborative efforts between the Balearic government and local municipalities are being considered to monitor water resources closely and devise solutions adapted to the realities of each location, with a focus on structural integration with the broader supply network and sustainable management plans.
