The Mesa del Agua is calling for urgent action. Photo by Noticias de Almeria website.
The Mesa del Agua de Almería has raised the alarm over worsening water shortages in key agricultural regions, including Níjar and the Almanzora Valley. Following a recent meeting at Asempal, spokesperson José Antonio Fernández warned of growing risks to local farmers as essential water sources continue to dry up.
In the Almanzora region, the situation is particularly worrying. The Villaricos desalination plant remains offline, no water has arrived this year from the Negratín transfer which could have brought up to 50 cubic hectometres and additional cuts have hit the Tajo-Segura supply. As a result, Fernández warned that “thousands of hectares may go unplanted.”
In Níjar, water access is also severely limited, with alternating days of supply and cuts. The Carboneras desalination plant is reportedly in poor condition, and storage basins are running dangerously low. “The CUCN reservoirs are practically empty,” Fernández added, “and the outlook isn’t improving.”
The Mesa del Agua is calling for urgent action. One proposal includes reallocating 15hm³ of Tajo-Segura water currently used by local municipalities to agriculture, provided desalination plants can cover household demand.
Hopes are pinned on the new Mar de Alborán desalination plant reaching full capacity soon, producing 20hm³ and allowing time for much-needed repairs elsewhere. Without swift intervention, the outlook for autumn is grim.
Sign up for personalised news
Subscribe to our Euro Weekly News alerts to get the latest stories into your inbox!
By signing up, you will create a Euro Weekly News account if you don’t already have one. Review our Privacy Policy for more information about our privacy practices.
