Ibiza has left the water alert situation by reaching 47% of its reserves during the month of November, as reported by the Conselleria del Mar y del Ciclo del Agua of the Balearic Government. Formentera, on the other hand, is the only demand unit (DU) of the archipelago that has registered a slight decrease, although it remains in a normal situation.
Generalized increase in the Pitiusas
Water reserves in Ibiza have increased eight points compared to October, when they stood at 39%. This increase has allowed the island to move from an alert to a pre-alert scenario, according to the latest water situation report published by the Govern.
In the case of Formentera, the UD remains as the only area of the archipelago in a state of normality, despite having experienced a drop in its reserves. According to the same report, 16.7% of the Balearic territory is currently in normal conditions, while 67.1% is in pre-alert and 16.2% is still in an alert situation.
Dry October in the Pitiusas: 37 l/m² in Ibiza and 19 l/m² in Formentera.
Data from the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) show that Ibiza and Formentera have had a dry or very dry November, respectively. In Ibiza only 37 liters per square meter were collected, while in Formentera the figure was even lower, with 19 l/m².
Despite this scarcity of rainfall, the percentage of interannual precipitation in the Pitiusas remains high, with 130% compared to the usual average, which has favored the improvement of the accumulated reserves.
Improved water index, but worse than a year ago
The overall index for the River Basin District currently stands at 0.396, a figure lower than that recorded in November 2023 (0.495) and also lower than that of 2022 (0.454), but an improvement compared to previous months.
In Ibiza, the change of status to pre-alert is a positive sign in the midst of a year marked by irregular rainfall. Formentera, although with fewer reserves, maintains its more favorable position thanks to its lower water demand.
December forecast: stability
Seasonal forecast models indicate that water reserves in Ibiza and Formentera will remain stable in December, with no significant changes expected in the alert scenarios.
Meanwhile, the Conselleria continues to monitor the data and recommends a responsible use of water, especially in those areas still at risk of drought.
