PALERMO, Sicily (CN) — A severe drought in parts of Spain, Italy and North Africa may get even worse with forecasters warning hot and dry months lie ahead.
In Europe, the Mediterranean coast of Spain is in the grip of the continent's worst drought with reservoirs at dangerously low levels, rivers and wells running low and governments imposing tough restrictions on water use in Catalonia, Andalusia and Valencia after three dry years.
Catalonia is in a state of emergency with restrictions placed on car washing, public fountains, swimming pools, irrigation, watering lawns, cruise ships and water parks. It's so bad, Barcelona plans to bring in drinking water on tanker ships.
Meanwhile, parts of the Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia have entered into severe drought too. Earlier this month, Sicily's governor declared the drought a natural disaster, prompting officials in Palermo, the Sicilian capital, to shut off public fountains as an initial step toward saving water. More restrictions are possible, officials say. Parts of Portugal and Malta also are running low on water.
Meanwhile, the situation is even more dire across vast areas of North Africa. Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria have been hit by drought conditions for six years.
“Long-lasting, above-average temperatures, warm spells and poor precipitation have led to severe drought conditions in the Mediterranean region,” a EU science report said Tuesday.
“As the drought’s severity is expected to persist, concerns rise about its impacts on agriculture, ecosystems, drinking water availability and energy production,” the European Drought Observatory report said.
In the Mediterranean, winter is the wet season when water reservoirs are replenished and plants and soils receive the nourishment they need to survive through months of dry conditions.
But this winter has seen a lack of rain and alarm is growing across the Mediterranean at the prospect this year may become even hotter, drier and more dangerous than last year, the warmest on record.
Climate change is making the Mediterranean region even more at risk from drought, according to scientists. The Mediterranean and Europe are warming faster than other parts of the planet due in large part to their closeness to the Sahara Desert and Africa, scientists say.
Amid its devastating drought, debates are raging in Catalonia over how to prepare for a warmer and more drought-prone future. A number of measures and projects to better manage water are being pushed forward.
On Wednesday, Catalonia's regional parliament was the scene of finger-pointing as accusations were leveled at previous governments for neglecting infrastructure needs amid the all-consuming struggles to create an independent Catalan state.
Catalonia is struggling to cope with what experts say is the region's worst drought in modern history. In some places, it's hardly rained at all for three years. Reservoirs are at an all-time low — about 15% of full capacity, according to the Catalan Water Agency.
In response, the region declared a state of emergency on Feb. 1 and imposed a raft of restrictions that already had been in place in the worst-hit areas north of Barcelona.
The measures have included a ban on washing cars at home and filling public and private swimming pools, though sea water has become an option. Water parks, ice rinks and ornamental fountains have been shut down while cruise ships docking in Barcelona aren't allowed to tank up on public water. In Barcelona, as elsewhere, public parks aren't getting watered either.
About a third of Barcelona's drinking water now comes from a massive desalination plant built in 2009. Before this drought, rivers provided 63% of Barcelona’s drinking water, wells provided 34% and desalination just 3%. Desalination, though, is considered a costly and energy-intensive solution.
Now, the city says it plans to start bringing in extra drinking water in tanker ships from another desalination system in Valencia.
Catalan municipalities face fines for exceeding limits on water use (200 liters — 52 gallons — per person, per day). Though a few fines have been imposed, news reports say many places continue to use more water than they are supposed to.
Among those hit the hardest are farmers after water used for irrigation was cut by 20%. The drought in Catalonia and elsewhere in Spain has led to crop losses and fed into angry farmer protests against efforts to restrict water use for agriculture.
Courthouse News reporter Cain Burdeau is based in the European Union.
Follow @cainburdeau
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