On Thursday, April 18, the government of the Barcelona region announced that a floating desalination plant would be installed in the port of the Catalan capital to ensure water access for the population during drought periods.
This is in response to the water crisis affecting Catalonia « for more than three years, » as noted by El País. On Thursday, April 18, the government of the region bordering France unveiled its strategy to combat drought and ensure regular water supply to its population. The Catalan government will install a floating desalination plant in the port of Barcelona, and according to information provided by the Madrid-based media, this infrastructure, expected to be operational by next October, « will provide 44 m3 of water per day, » equivalent to « 6% of the daily consumption of the Barcelona metropolitan area. »
In the past, as highlighted by the progressive media, the Catalan government had considered solving the water shortage problem by bringing in ships to the port of the regional capital. However, according to David Mascort, climate action advisor to the local government, « the solution we are presenting today is more economical and sustainable. » In addition to this infrastructure, Catalonia will install twelve mobile desalination plants on the Costa Brava, which stretches north of Barcelona.
These devices are intended to prevent the imposition of new restrictions, similar to those that affected 239 municipalities in the region in recent months, according to Mascort.
« The twelve desalination stations on the Costa Brava will cost around 10 million euros (with a cost per unit of 400,000 euros), and it is estimated that each of them will produce 1,000 m3 of water per day, covering 35% of the water demand of the Costa Brava, » La Vanguardia further analyzes. The desalination plant option was also favored by farmers, as mentioned by the Catalan newspaper, since they « feared that continued drilling of new wells would lead to increased salinization of the fields. »
Source: courrier international
