Drought restrictions
Sections
Highlight
Sections
Highlight
As SUR reported on Wednesday, Malaga city has moved out of the critical drought level and has stepped up a tier. It is now in the severe phase; the water allocation per inhabitant is not increased, but some controlled "reliefs" are allowed. These affect irrigation, swimming pools, and public fountains. This is possible because the reservoirs at the headwaters of the Guadalhorce added to the Casasola store 88 cubic hectometres, which is 17 more than the threshold that establishes this improvement thanks to the autumn rains, especially the two Danas (29 October and 13 November).
Malaga city council has received authorisation from the Junta de Andalucía to apply a series of exceptions to the drinking water saving measures. In this way, the 329 drinking fountains distributed throughout the city will be progressively put into service, The watering of public and private green areas once a week, street cleaning with low consumption pressure washers, and the refilling of public and private swimming pools that have a water recirculation system, or the first filling due to new construction or renovation work, will also be allowed. These issues are included in a new decree issued by the Mayor of Malaga, Francisco de la Torre, which complements the one in force since 16 November 2023 and which will be maintained depending on the evolution of the hydrological situation.
This measure, similar to the one applied last summer (from 1 June to 30 September), has been adopted after receiving a favourable resolution from the regional authority to the temporary exception to the limitations on the use of drinking water presented by the environmental sustainability department. This followed the increase in the volume of water stored in the reservoirs that supply the city after last autumn's rains, the reduction in consumption and the provision of alternative supplies to them through greater use of the wells of the Lower Guadalhorce.
The regional authorisation is conditional upon compliance with the maximum allocation of 200 litres per inhabitant per day for urban use for the Guadalhorce-Limonero system agreed by the commission for drought management of the hydrographic demarcation of the Andalusian Mediterranean Basins held on 5 December.
In this regard, it should be remembered that urban use in Malaga stands at an average of 169 litres per inhabitant per day, below the aforementioned maximum allocation thanks to the measures adopted by the city council, through the municipal water company (Emasa), to reduce consumption. This included regulating the pressure of the water injected into the networks throughout the city, the shock plan to repair pipes to reduce losses, the extension of the resource from non-drinking water for watering green areas and street cleaning, and monitoring major consumers to detect possible leaks in interior pipes.
The exceptions provided for and authorised are as follows:
Drinking fountains: The drinking fountains throughout the city, equipped with automatic opening and closing valves, are back in operation. The supply of public drinking fountains was interrupted on the basis of the order of 24 October 2023 of the Junta de Andalucía: this prohibits the use of drinking water for street washing, filling private swimming pools, watering gardens or public or private parks and golf courses, washing cars, ornamental fountains (that do not have a closed water circuit), as well as public showers and drinking fountains.
Watering of public and private green areas: Exceptions to the restrictions are made to allow the use of drinking water for the survival irrigation of trees, shrubs and plants only one day a week and only in those areas of the city where there is no water from the groundwater (non-potable) or regenerated water. In this regard, it should be pointed out that public parks and gardens and most of those managed by the urban conservation collaborating entities are irrigated with groundwater.
Street cleaning: Potable water may be used again for the cleaning and disinfection of roads using low-consumption pressure washers.
Swimming pools: The refilling of public and private swimming pools with a water recirculation system is permitted in the quantities necessary to replace evaporation losses, clean filters and guarantee the sanitary quality of the water, including the use of showers. In addition, the use of drinking water is authorised for the filling of removable swimming pools in educational centres or those for people with disabilities or special needs. As for the rest, authorisation is maintained for the first filling of newly built public and private swimming pools or filling in response to pool refurbishment work.
Showers in sports facilities and swimming pools: Showers shall be permitted in sports facilities and swimming pools where their use is mandatory for sanitary reasons.
Showers and footbaths on the beaches: The supply of both showers and footbaths will continue to be cut off as an awareness and saving measure, although the consumption generated by both services on the beaches does not reach 0.24 per cent of the total. On the other hand, the showers that are set up exclusively for people with reduced mobility (Misericordia, Malagueta and El Dedo) on Malaga's beaches in summer will be allowed to be put into service.
The use of drinking water for filling private swimming pools, watering gardens, public or private parks and golf courses, washing cars outside authorised establishments, and ornamental fountains without a closed water circuit remains prohibited.
Citizens are advised that the Local Police may carry out surveillance and control tasks to ensure compliance with the provisions of this by-law. While it is in force, these actions will constitute an offence as outlined by the municipal ordinance with penalties of up to 6,010.12 euros in the case of minor infractions.
Publicidad
Publicidad
Publicidad
Publicidad
Esta funcionalidad es exclusiva para registrados.
Reporta un error en esta noticia
Comentar es una ventaja exclusiva para registrados
¿Ya eres registrado?
Inicia sesiónNecesitas ser suscriptor para poder votar.