The water reserves in Ibiza have closed the year 2024 with a decrease that places the island in a critical situation, according to data from the Conselleria del Mar y Ciclo del Agua. With 36% of reserves, the island experiences a new fall compared to the previous month, when 37% was recorded, positioning it as one of the most fragile regions in the management of water resources in the Balearic Islands.
Pre-alert and vulnerability in the Pitiusas Islands
The decline in bookings in Ibiza is part of a general trend in the Balearics, where the islands have ended the year with an average of 52%.. Aunque la situación de Ibiza destaca por su gravedad, la vecina Formentera presenta un escenario más optimista The company was able to move from the alert to the pre-alert level thanks to a slight improvement in its reserves.
Currently, 73.8% of the Balearic territory is in pre-alert, including Ibiza and Formentera. However, the impact of low reserves in Ibiza is especially significant, given the constant increase in water demand due to tourist pressure and population growth.
Dry climate and its impact on reserves
The month of December has been classified as dry by the Aemet, with an average rainfall of 40.2 l/m², well below the usual 68.4 l/m². In the case of Ibiza, the rainfall recorded has been within the climatic normality, but has not been enough to improve the reserves, which prolongs the situation of vulnerability on the island. On the other hand, temperatures have remained within the normal parameters for the season, with an average of 11.5ºC. However, the prospects for improving water reserves in the coming months are limited due to the scarcity of forecast rainfall.
Call for sustainable water management
The current situation reinforces the need to implement sustainable management measures and to raise public awareness of the importance of responsible water use. While other Demand Units (DU) such as Tramuntana Nord and Sud could move towards normality in January, Ibiza continues to be a focus of concern in the Balearic water landscape.
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