Recent rain has done little to improve water levels in Malaga province's reservoirs

The storm at the start of September left a respectable 50 to 90mm of rain in the higher parts of the Axarquía area of eastern Malaga province. But this has done little to fill up the severely depleted reservoirs.

We are now well into September, traditionally considered a wet month, and until this weekend, besides a few easterly showers on some parts of the coast, there has been no sign of the huge amount of rainfall needed. The reservoirs are getting emptier as each week goes by.

The one that is the worst hit is the Axarquía's La Viñuela - Malaga province's biggest. While the rain a couple of weeks ago did help fill it a little, this extra amount has already been used up. Last week, measurements showed it was only 8.27% full and it is getting harder to take out water due to the sludge at the bottom.

At the other end of the Costa del Sol, there is a better outlook. In Marbella and the surrounding area, the triple combination of the water from La Concepción reservoir, the Marbella desalination plant and the pipeline bringing in water from Campo de Gibraltar is enough to guarantee supply to local people and businesses. La Concepción, behind Marbella, is at 41.57% of its capacity, so it still has enough water for several months.

In Malaga city and the Guadalhorce Valley there is also no risk of restrictions for the moment, thanks to the three large inland reservoirs that supply the area and the smaller flood defence reservoirs near the city. However, in the event that the coming months are dry again, the situation would become more difficult.

Just as the existing desalination plant in Marbella, turning seawater into drinking water, is being seen as a key part of supply on the western Costa del Sol, the lack of an equivalent plant on the eastern coast is being seen as a key part of the problem there. One has been promised but it is still a long-term solution.

For the moment, large parts of the Axarquía are seeing water cuts at night and some water-saving measures, such as shutting of beach showers, without affecting the end of the tourist season too much.