This morning, the Drought Management Commission of the Andalusian Regional Ministry of Water approved the change from a situation of severe to a severe shortage on the Western Costa del Sol, allowing the refilling of swimming pools and a maximum of 225 litres per inhabitant per day.
Marbella, 15th May 2024
The Western Costa del Sol goes from a declaration of drought with severe shortage to severe. This has been approved by the Drought Management Commission of the Junta de Andalucía which took place this morning, which will allow, subject to prior authorisation, the refilling of public swimming pools, already approved, and private pools. To this end, the public water management company, Acosol, requested an exceptional authorisation to allow such refilling as requested by the Junta, at the request of the municipalities of the Mancomunidad de Municipios de la Costa del Sol Occidental (Association of Municipalities of the Western Costa del Sol). The new measures will come into force from 1st June.
Refilling of swimming pools and exceptional watering
In relation to swimming pools, the Drought Commission has positively assessed the request for authorisation to refill private swimming pools requested by Acosol together with the rest of the water operators in the province of Malaga. The Board has pointed out that ‘it is compulsory for private pools to have a water recirculation system that allows them to use the minimum amount of water necessary to guarantee the sanitary quality of the water and to replace any losses that may occur due to evaporation or filter cleaning’. Public swimming pools have already been authorised since the previous Drought Management Commission of the Mediterranean Basins.
In relation to other uses of water resources, the increase in the maximum volume of water used to irrigate green areas has been exceptionally authorised when there are species of special botanical interest and there is no regenerated or phreatic water available, following the request submitted by Acosol. Specifically, the Drought Management Commission of the Andalusian Mediterranean Basins has given the green light to increase this allocation from 200 m3 to 400 m3 per hectare per month in order to cover survival irrigation, but establishing a maximum of only one irrigation
per week.
Finally, Acosol’s request to allow showers in sports establishments and swimming pools, as well as the latter two for people with reduced mobility on the beaches, was also reported favourably. In addition, Acosol will continue to work to see if it is possible to extend to other necessary uses.
