No water shortages this year: OFFICIAL!

THE hot and dry weather that is affecting the whole of Spain and the Balearic Islands will not lead to water shortages this summer, said the President of the Spanish Water Board (Aeas), Angel Simon. However it will mean that there will be limits on water usage, for example farming irrigation.
Water shortages in Spain and the islands has always been a problem and it has been made all the more worse this year due to the lack of rain in recent months, said Simon. The Spanish Water Board (Aeas) joins together businesses and institutions that are responsible for supplying water to 74 percent of Spain.
The Spanish regions that will be the most affected this summer by a water shortage, will be Valencia, Murcia and Cataluña. “In the big cities there will be no problems”, added the President of Aeas.
Angel Simon made these statements at the Aeas Conference which is being held in Palma. The conference started yesterday and will finish tomorrow. Nearly 700 professionals in the water industry throughout Spain have come to Majorca to take part in this event. Water prices in Spain are, on average, 150 percent cheaper than the European average. In this way, it costs 1.17 euros per cubic metre of water. “1'000 litres is worth the same as a newspaper”, said Simon. Last year, an average person in Spain used 278 litres of water per day, and during the last ten years this amount has reduced by eight percent. “We are carrying out a very good service at today's prices, and we could offer even better services if we increased water rates”, said Simon, who added that the Water Board is planning to increase rates in the next few years. Even though Palma has historically had problems with the water supplies, this year there are enough water reserves to match needs, said Catalina Terrasa, President of the municipal water company (Emaya). During the winter months Palma city consumes 115'000 cubic metres of water per day, and in the summer this increases to 160'000 cubic metres, said Terrasa. Water supplies for the island come from the reservoirs in the Tramuntana mountains, as well as water springs and water treatment plants.
The water treatment plants allow all waste water to be re-used and in this way saves 5 million cubic metres of usable water each year.
The new water treatment plant in Pla de Sant Jordi, which is currently being tested, could be delivered next month, added Terrasa.