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The Prime Minister of Tenerife, Rosa Dávila, said this was one of the "driest winters in the recent history" of the island.
Given that the reservoirs have been emptied due to the drought, the plan is to declare a state of emergency on Friday after the plenary session. Dávila is convinced that the initiative will have the unanimous support of all political parties.
The Water Council of the island of Tenerife and the Ministry of Tourism plan to launch information campaigns to the public, which will be aimed at residents, but also at tourists, emphasizing the importance of responsible water use.
The central areas of Tenerife are facing an extreme and prolonged drought with severe water shortages that could continue for months or even years, according to reports from experts.
The amount of precipitation has decreased between 15 and 40 percent in recent years. Due to rising temperatures, water evaporation in the agricultural central areas of the island increased between 10 and 25 percent.
This January, average temperatures of 20,9°C were recorded, making it the warmest in the last 60 years.
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Local reports state that on February 1, the reservoirs contained 34,6 percent of capacity compared to 52 percent at the same time last year, he reports Euronews.
Tenerife is looking at ways to combat water shortages, including increasing the capacity of water treatment and desalination plants to increase supply for agriculture and homes. The island has no rivers, so it depends on underground sources for 80 percent of its supply.
Other areas of Spain are also struggling with this problem. The authorities in Catalonia declared a state of emergency due to the drought in Barcelona on February 1, Andalusia will limit the use of water in some cities in the summer.
Photo: Pixabay
