Mission Statement: to assist the integration of foreign residents living in Spain
By Marc Menendez-Roche • Updated: 10 Oct 2024 • 13:39 • 2 minutes read
Malaga is facing water rationing measures as the drought continues to get worse. Credit: Pixabay
Malaga is facing water rationing measures as the drought continues to get worse.
Malaga is on the brink of a full-blown water emergency as the province faces its worst drought in recent memory. With reservoirs drying up and rainfall nowhere in sight, the Junta de Andalucia is preparing to slash the daily water allowance for residents in Malaga, Guadalhorce, and the Axarquia areas. Time is now running out.
The arrival of cooler weather, cloudy skies and wind, promised to bring some desperately needed rain, but there has been very little so far. The city’s three main reservoirs are now sitting dangerously low, with experts warning there’s only enough water to last for the next ten months.
The Junta de Andalucia’s drought committee will be meeting on October 10 to decide on further measures. It’s expected that water usage will be slashed from 200 litres per person per day to 180 litres in the hardest-hit areas, and from 225 to 200 litres on the Costa del Sol. If things don’t improve soon, tighter restrictions could be on the horizon to prevent a repeat of the 1995 drought when the situation became so dire that water reservoirs fell to unprecedented lows in the region’s six main reservoirs which – by December 1995 – held just 4.5% of their total capacity.
The situation in Malaga is alarming. Transfers of water from Malaga to La Viñuela were stopped back in May, and the water levels have continued to plummet ever since. As of October 2024, the city’s reservoirs are sitting at just 43 cubic hectometres, well below the emergency threshold of 71. To make matters worse, around 12 cubic hectometres have evaporated from the Conde, Guadalhorce, and Guadalteba reservoirs over the last year.
The province’s overall water reserves are now at a meagre 96 cubic hectometres. This is just 15% of their total capacity. Malaga is relying on every trick in the book to keep the taps running, from tapping into backup wells at Aljaima and Fahala to expanding the El Atabal desalination plant’s capacity.
In the Axarquia, the situation is just as difficult. The region’s reservoir is only 42% of its historical average, and residents are already facing restrictions, with water use cut to 180 litres per person per day. Last year, consumption was 201 litres, but, for now, that kind of usage is now a thing of the past.
The Costa del Sol is faring slightly better, thanks partly to the La Concepcion reservoir near Marbella, which is holding more water than it did a year ago. Still, the region remains on high alert, and authorities are banking on the upgraded desalination plant to ease the pressure, with its output set to hit 20 cubic hectometres per year by December.
Residents are being warned to cut back water use by at least 10% now. This means no more filling swimming pools, washing cars at home, or watering private gardens.
The bottom line? Malaga is running out of water, and fast. So, whether you’re in Axarquia, on the Costa del Sol or inland, save every last drop.
Share this story
Subscribe to our Euro Weekly News alerts to get the latest stories into your inbox!
By signing up, you will create a Euro Weekly News account if you don't already have one. Review our Privacy Policy for more information about our privacy practices.
Marc is a writer, teacher, and language enthusiast with a passion for making complex topics simple and accessible. With a background in business and legal communication and an interest in educational neuroscience, Marc has spent over a decade teaching and writing. Now, as part of the team at Euro Weekly News, Marc enjoys diving into entertaining topics and stories that matter to the community. When he's not writing, Marc loves practising martial arts, playing football, cooking up a storm in the kitchen, or spending quality time with friends and family, but above all, Marc enjoys spending time with his son, Macson.
rainfall nowhere in sight? What´s the wet stuff that´s been falling out of the clouds half the week then? The earth on my finca is so wet its difficult to walk on. We also have rain forecast for today, tomorrow and almost all of next week…..
Correct me if I’m wrong but is not Malaga on the Southern coast of Spain. Plenty of sunshine and access to the sea would suggest that a solar powered desalination plant might be the way forward.
I think there already is a desalination plant in Marbella, not sure if there are any others in malaga province. It certainly would make sense….
Spain is the forth largest user of desalination water in the world, 770 desalination plants, mostly on their islands, if they have them on the islands why not more in very hot southern Spain
Comments are closed.
Download our media pack in either English or Spanish.