Catalonia is facing a very serious problem. The region is currently in a record drought and has declared a state of emergency as reservoirs have shrunk to a capacity level of 16%. This isn’t the first time something like this has happened in the region. Catalonia has been experiencing droughts for quite some time. Last March an entire 11th century town, which was flooded in the 60s to create a reservoir for Barcelona residents, re-emerged due to long lasting droughts. This led to a number of restrictions on residents’ water usage, some of which I experienced in Platja d’Aro during the summer where public showers by the beach were banned to make savings on the water supply. The same restrictions and more serious actions are being considered in Barcelona now, including water bill price increases.
We may have expected something like this to happen during peak summer months when temperatures can reach almost 40 degrees Celsius. However, we’re supposed to be amid a Spanish winter and the local council is proposing agricultural water use restrictions of up to 80%. A control like that could have drastic knock-on effects on the local food system. Alarm bells should be ringing now. Rising temperatures in our atmosphere, in combination with a three-year rainfall deficit in the region, have been attributed to sustaining these lengthy droughts as there is less and less moisture in the earth. Additionally, an increasing population in Barcelona is placing more pressure on water reserves. Water scarcity is often a neglected component of the climate crisis by those in Western countries where access to this basic human right has long been the norm. Recent events so close to home should serve as a pertinent reminder of the threat that rising temperatures can have across the globe.
What can we do as individuals and community?
We can do very simple things to mitigate the shortages such as turning the tap off while brushing your teeth and only running laundry cycles when they are full.
However, the most effective change comes at a community and organisational level where we need to increase information flows and change the way we think about business. The drought is of course impacting smaller local businesses with great effect. In an interview with the BBC, Anna Casòliva Freixe explains the necessity of water for her bakery in Berga north of Barcelona. This drought is affecting Anna’s livelihood but there is little that small enterprises can do to drive change.
This near-critical emergency had not come to my attention until just last week and judging by conversations I have had recently; this is the case for many. Increasing awareness around the emergency is an effective short-term strategy to mitigate the effects of the current drought and hotels across Barcelona have joined the efforts to raise awareness. However, solving the symptoms of a problem will only get us so far. We therefore need to look to larger organisations who have the capacity to innovate for water use efficiency, use their resources to support surrounding communities and develop regenerative solutions.
For example, Córdoba-based technology company GENAQ is developing water generators that supply drinking water using moisture from the atmosphere.
At a more local level, Estrella Damm has set several commitments to reducing water use and is a good example of the role of large businesses in contributing to SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation. Beer production is incredibly water-intensive, with Estrella reporting a ratio of 4L of water for every 1L of beer produced and so the current drought has massive implications for this global brewery.
Barcelona’s favourite beer brand is adopting circular principles to reduce this ratio by treating wastewater in the production process and then returning this to the environment or re-using it for future batches. Additionally, Estrella Damm play a role in the Comunitat d’Usuaris d’Aigües de la Vall Baixa i Delta del Llobregat (CUADLL), a regional public law corporation that involves a number of different stakeholders within the area with the aim of ensuring sustainable water use and quality. This is a great example of an ecosystem of elements working toward a common goal and currently, an incredibly important one. Related initiatives have helped Estrella to reduce water use by 34% over the last ten years.
However, given recent events, it’s clear that there is an imperative for Estrella and other organisations to scale solutions rapidly and consider how their business as a whole contributes to water scarcity. How can more businesses and organizations contribute significantly to alleviating water scarcity? It is a challenge that necessitates widespread cooperation and a paradigm shift in how we approach water use and sustainability.
Author
Calum Lynch
Participant of International Master in Sustainable Business & Innovation 2023-2024