Spain’s drought is so dangerous that Barcelona is getting a second desalination plant for ingesting water

Barcelona already depends on Europe’s largest desalination plant for domestic use to compensate over three years of beneath common rainfall which have led to a historic drought made worse by local weather change.

Now Spain’s second-largest metropolis will get a brief second desalination plant in its port later this 12 months.

David Mascort, who heads the regional environmental authority, stated the plant is scheduled to begin working in October. It can produce the equal of 6% of town’s consumption, in comparison with nearly 1 / 4 of town’s water now produced by Barcelona’s everlasting desalination plant.

Barcelona makes use of desalination and water purification programs to fulfill its water wants. The reservoirs that serve 6 million individuals in central and northern Catalonia, together with Barcelona, are at 18% of their capability.

Regardless of some relief from spring rains, Catalonia has saved in place restrictions beneath a water emergency declared in February. These limitations embody a every day restrict of 200 liters (about 53 gallons) per particular person for home use, and reductions in common water use by 80% for crop irrigation, 50% for herd animals and 25% for business.

Mascort stated the extra ingesting water ought to assist keep away from — or a minimum of push again the necessity for tighter water restrictions within the fall. He added that the floating desalination plant will make it pointless to usher in further provides of water by boat as had been initially thought-about.