Drought committee latest: ban on filling swimming pools remains

The rains that fell during Easter Week have brought good news to Andalucia. The Concepción reservoir has gained 10 cubic hectometres of water, and the level now exceeds 66 per cent, the highest since July 2023.

However, there was little good news at the meeting of the Commission for Drought Management that took place on Tuesday April 9. Despite the latest rains and the water capacity of the province’s reservoirs now reaching 30 per cent overall, the measures against the drought have been changed very little. The most important relaxation is to raise water consumption on the Malaga coast to 200 litres per inhabitant per day from the existing 160 litres.

The drought isn’t over

“Although the rains have helped to improve the situation, we cannot think that the drought is over, so we must continue to maintain saving measures,” said Ramiro Angulo, Secretary General for Water.

So, the same restrictions on filling swimming pools that were decided before Easter are maintained. Only public swimming pools, those of sports and social clubs, therapeutic pools and those of hotels are allowed to be filled. The ban on private pools, both individual and communal, remains in place.

The Commission has explained that these measures will be reviewed again in June, in accordance with the Junta’s Drought Plan.