THE Junta of Andalusia plans to convene “at the beginning” of next October the provincial drought committees to “analyze the hydrological situation and adopt measures” which could include restrictions on the amount of water allowed in some municipalities in the Andalusian provinces which are particularly affected by the current “persistent drought”.
This is how the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural DevelopmentRamón Fernández-Pacheco, in statements to the “Surco y maria” program of the Cadena SER Andalucía collected by Europa Press in which he emphasized that “we had a very bad year” regarding the drought in Andalusia, and in the last few years months “it has hardly rained at all, temperatures were high, so was the level of evaporation”, while, as usual in summer, water consumption “skyrockets” at this time.
In this context, the advisor confirmed the plan to call “early October” drought committees, which are “participation bodies” in which “not only the Junta de Andalucía as a basin body is represented, but other actors who have a lot to say are also represented”, as he l ’emphasized.
The Andalusian Water manager said he does not like to “advance decisions without the corresponding drought committee” having met, but added that “no one is unaware” that “the summer was dry “, and that “this week we have already come down from psychological barrier of 30% dam water in Andalusia”, which amounts to 29.6%, a “data which is not good” and in response to which “of course we must take measures”, added the advisor.
Asked whether there will be “some sort of extraordinary measure before the end of the year to resolve” the situation of intra-community basins managed by the Junta in Andalusia, Ramon Fernández-Pacheco He responded that he understood “yes, there will be” measures like this, although he pointed out that consumption in these months that now begin after summer “decreases a lot compared to” this season, and “the needs are totally different”. “, because “tourist activity largely sets the tone for water consumption during the months of July and August, mainly.”
In this sense, the advisor emphasized that “the decisions adopted now will be adapted to the new needs of consumers with the aim of making them as less traumatic as possible”, and in this regard he defended that the “surgical measures adopted in each of the regions of Andalusia operated according to its reality, and thanks to this, the summer functioned with absolute normality, while we managed to reduce water consumption and reach the autumn in acceptable conditions taking into account taking into account that there was absolutely no rain.
Call for responsible use
Likewise, Ramón Fernández-Pacheco took the opportunity to “call for responsible use of water, which has remained the main tool, the main ally that we all have”, emphasizing that “we must consume water water that is needed and don’t waste itbecause it is a precious and rare good that is unlike any other.
The advisor insisted on emphasizing that “it will be the drought committee” of each province “which will detail the measures” that will be adopted, but he added that “the truth is that provinces like that of Malaga or that of Almeria They are frankly bad”, and “the situation is very worrying” because “it is not raining and we have a persistent drought which we have to face”.
“If we have managed to overcome the summer, the period of maximum water consumption, and we are now facing a dry autumn, then consumption will have to be reduced, and probably the quantities that the municipalities have currently authorized per capita and per day will have to be somewhat reduced. “, said the advisor, who however maintained that this “will not pose any problem, because consumption will be much lower in the coming months”, but “we will guarantee that, if it does not rain and in so much as soon as the hydraulic infrastructure is completed“, we can continue not only productive activity, but also the normal life of citizens.”
