In Spain, thousands of illegal wells have exacerbated the water shortage

Their existence is no secret. In 2006, according to the latest official data, the number of illegal wells in Spain was estimated at 510,000. “They would actually be over a million,” Julio Barria saysAnd the Greenpeace Water Officer.

These wells, which lead to groundwater pollution, They are mainly found near areas of intensive cultivation, especially in Andalusia, in the region of Murcia, and in tourist areas. “Water theft is one of the most common crimes against the environment in Spain, but ironically there are very few prosecutions, Mr. Witty explains. Illegal mining is punishable by heavy fines and even prison terms, which can range from six months to five years, but the lack of resources for prosecution contributes to impunity for thieves. »

The situation is more dramatic like ‘Spain officially stabilized in drought’ headline on daily front page El PaísWednesday, August 10. According to the latest figures from the Spanish Ministry of Environmental Transformation, the level of water reserves has fallen to 39.2%, the first since 1995. The heat wave has worsened and precipitation is reduced – 26% have had less rain than usual since October. Imperfection, and there is no improvement in sight. Restrictions already exist in some municipalities in Galicia, Catalonia, Andalusia, Extremadura, Castile and Leon, Navarra, and even in the Basque Country.

‘adverse effects’

Drought in Spain is not a new phenomenon, but it gets worse every year. In a report published in 2021, the government made a somewhat owed assessment of the country’s hydrological situation. He noted in particular that 22 million Spaniards (just under half the population) currently live in areas where water consumption exceeds available resources, including 3.3 million in areas with severe water stress, “A condition that most citizens do not know about.” The analysis also referred to the fact that 40% of surface water and 45% of groundwater are partially polluted, and that “Spanish rivers have less water today than they did forty years ago.”

Why, under these conditions, do not fight more actively against illegal wells? “In Spain, the water management, which was initially intended to create large hydraulic infrastructures, has not adapted to the challenges of the climate”, Estanislao Arana, director of the Water Economy Forum, an analysis center based on the Alcalá de Henares University near Madrid, estimates. Moreover, neither the central government, which manages the major river basins on the peninsula, nor the regions really have the means to address the problem. »

You have 51.47% of this article left to read. The following is for subscribers only.