Action plan for Mallorca drought

THE Balearic government is producing an action plan in order to try to cope with the ongoing drought affecting Mallorca, which may include some limited form of rationing as well as an increase in production at the desalination plants, which at the moment do not run at full capacity mainly due to their cost.

Work also needs to be taken to ensure that farmer’s crops are properly irrigated and this, and the matter of advising the community of the need to conserve water and reduce usage, will be the subject of meetings to be held on January 29 and early February.

This action is particularly important as it is reported that the two main reservoirs serving Palma, Gorg Blau and Cuber are at just 25 per cent of capacity, compared to 92 per cent as recently as 2013.

Like the reservoirs, the aquifers on the island are being affected by the lack of rain. At present, they are at 53 per cent of capacity, which is five per cent lower than in 2014, which was considered a dry year. 

Underground water provides some 85 per cent of Majorca’s needs, but it is already the case that some supply problems are emerging, which will become much worse come the main tourist season if no significant rainfall occurs.