Tourist frenzy in Barcelona: "Wasting water"

  

Barcelona
Tourist frenzy in Barcelona: "Wasting water"

Nora Fernstedt

Published 13.16

Locals are tired of tourists being allowed to consume large amounts of water despite the drought. Photo: Alamy

Barcelona residents are forced to conserve water in the worst drought ever.

At the same time, tourists can splash around in hotel pools.

Something that caused the local population to boil over.

Spring means fully booked hotels, a packed Rambla and crowds on the beaches in Barcelona.

It is now that tourists begin to flock to the Swedes' weekend favorite. 30 million tourists visit the city every year - and they consume significantly more water than the local residents.

In February, a state of emergency was declared due to the drought in the region. For residents, there are tough restrictions on water consumption, but the tourism sector has largely escaped, reports Politico.

This has made the locals very angry.

Acts like 30 years ago

- The apartments in Barcelona have efficient showers and such. But there are many millions of visitors every year, and when it comes to water consumption, they behave like people here did 30 years ago, says Vicenç Acuña, director of the Catalan Institute for Water Research.

According to him, the local authorities are handling the issue with silk gloves. Projects such as building a water-swallowing casino hotel in Tarragona, south of Barcelona, have drawn heavy criticism.

- There is no pressure on the tourism sector to change.

 

Barcelona has been hit by extreme drought for the past three years. Photo: Tomas Oneborg/TT

Initiated water saving campaign

According to an estimate from the city of Barcelona, local households use 99 liters of water per person per day. A figure that is far below the average in Spain and Europe.

Tourists who stay in hotels use 163 liters of water per day. Now the authorities have started a campaign to reduce tourists' water waste. In Barcelona, posters with livestock about saving water have been put up.

Worries about the future

Although there was a lot of rain in April, the water reservoirs in Catalonia are running low. In the last three years, significantly less rain has fallen than in previous years.

Catalonia is now in its worst drought ever according to Politico. Many see the current situation as a glimpse into the fortune telling of how the region will be affected by climate change.

Critics say Catalonia's regional government, the Generalitat, has failed to prepare for long periods of drought.