Government passes plans for water supply in Spain
Biggest ever investment will be made – but Alicante farmers are still up in arms
THE DOZEN hydrological plans approved by the Cabinet on Tuesday include setting minimum ecological flow levels for the River Tajo, which will lead to a cut to the amount of water transferred to the Segura for irrigation in south Alicante, Murcia and Almería.
The plans have caused considerable controversy among farmers and the regional governments are concerned about the potential consequences for livelihoods and economies.
Minister for the ecological transition Teresa Ribera said the hydrological plans cover 86% of the country, affect 65% of the population and account for €22.8 billion of investment, over €10B of that by the state.
She claimed it will be the most ever invested in water management in Spain, and is necessary because availability of water has dropped by 12% since 1980 due to climate change.
Regarding the Tajo-Segura transfer, she assured water would remain available ‘in the areas at greatest risk and with most concern about supplies’.
The increases to the ecological flow level for the Tajo will be applied gradually in order to ‘reconcile the legislation requirements with the social, economic and environmental impact’, rising from six to seven cubic metres per second on January 1 this year, then to 8m3/s in 2026 and 8.65 in 2027.
“We have to give enough time for the investments to make additional resources available,” the minister explained.
‘In the worst scenario’, the maximum reduction of water transferred is between 70 cubic hectometres and 110hm3, while investments in desalination and irrigation efficiency, amongst others, will make at least 140hm3 available, she claimed.
These additional contributions have the advantage that although no-one can control whether it rains, the amounts that are desalinated or reused can be controlled, said Sra Ribera.
She emphasised the government’s ‘total commitment’ to the east of Spain, especially farmers for the enormously important wealth they produce.
The minister also announced the government will set the price of desalinated water at €34/hm3, so that energy costs do not pose a problem until these facilities can be run on renewable energies.
The investments in desalination plants include €386.9 million in Murcia; €288.4M in Alicante and €152.3M in Almería, with the projects to be put out to tender late this year and completed before June 2026.
There is also €450M to apply the Tajo ecological flow; €231M to increase desalination capacity; €236M to install solar power; €97.6M for solar power for the JúcarVinalopo river transfer; €220M for desalination plant connections; and €60M for water reuse in Alicante.
Having a solar plant for each desalination plant would cut the cost of desalinated water so that in 2025 there could be up to 110hm3 more water in Alicante, Murcia and Almería.
Valencia region president Ximo Puig announced his government will make aid available to cut the price of desalinated water by an extra 10 cents per cubic metre to 24c/m3.
He said a committee including representatives of farmers will be set up to evaluate the investments ‘being made for the first time ever in the Segura basin’.
Sr Puig insisted his government prioritises ‘water forever for our farmers’ and will never renounce the TajoSegura transfer.
The regional government legal bureau has been asked for a report on anything in the hydrological plans that may harm the Valencia region’s interests, and did not rule out possible court action.
He defended the need for affordable desalinated water and optimisation of resources by treatment and reuse, and hailed the investment of €500M so that there is enough for the farmers of the Vega Baja to irrigate.