Likely water restrictions to come into force in Malaga province in the coming days. The drought committee meets on October 10.
Malaga province’s reservoirs are down to 16% of their capacity, and with no rain in sight, emergency measures look like a strong probability. The Drought Management Commission has set a date to meet on Thursday, October 10 to discuss imposing water restrictions on all areas of the Costa del Sol and Malaga province, as well as Almeria, which would involve cutting water supply during certain hours and temporarily banning certain usages of water.
While maximum levels for consumption are expected to be reduced, there will be no risk to human consumption as, given the traditional tourist season is coming to a close, fewer visitors means lower levels of overall consumption.
Drought restrictions to be revised in Malaga province
The hydrological calendar year came to an end on September 30, and so technically, water restrictions imposed before that date no longer apply in October. In May, the Drought Commission so optimistic about water supply that they lifted certain restrictions for the start of the tourist season. Now these restrictions need to be revised again and probably reintroduced.
Malaga City Council has already announced a return to restrictions and reactivated drinking water saving measures, which mainly affect the filling of private swimming pools, drinking water sources, and the maintaining of green areas.
Guardalhorce reservoir worst affected by drought
The drought situation in the province of Malaga will be reevaluated on Thursday, 10 as the reservoirs are currently at 16 percent of their capacity with a volume of 101.1 cubic hectometres. Of all of them, the least full is still the Guadalhorce reservoir with 8.1 percent, while that of Guadalteba slightly exceeds 12 percent, La Viñuela is close to 14 percent, or El Limonero is at 15.7 percent.
The delegate of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development of the Board in Malaga, Fernando Fernández Tapia-Ruano, explained that this new meeting is designed to ‘to project and plan water consumption for the next two to three months, keeping in mind that it may not rain at all this autumn.
