He groundwater, or subsoilis an alternative, local, abundant and quality water resource that covers an important part of the water demand of Barcelona’s municipal services.
Currently, the city cleaning It is already done with exclusively groundwater, and now, due to the exceptional situation due to the drought, its use is increased, above all, for survival irrigation of trees and plants.
Faced with the continuous reduction of the levels of the reservoirs that provide water to Barcelona, At this time, the city does not cut off supply to peoplebut it does carry out various actions to reduce the amount of water used not only by citizens or companies but also by the City Council itself.
The groundwater network doubles
In order to respond to the demand for water in this exceptional situation, Barcelona is expanding its current supply network of 78 kilometers. The city adds 26 new groundwater supply points with tanker trucks that complement the 25 hydrants that are in regular operation and that allow the supply of 5,000 m3 per day (1.8 hm3/year).
Barcelona adds 26 groundwater supply points that complement the 25 hydrants that are in operation
This expansion will be done with 22 tankers (14 in the morning shift, 5 in the afternoon shift and 3 in the night shift), which will move through the 26 determined locations. From these new points will be supplied to smaller vehicles They do not have as much ability to travel to the hydrant.
Specifically, they will be charged with groundwater 239 cleaning vehicleswho work in small streets or in specific services such as cleaning around containers or stains and graffiti, and 57 of parks and gardensin charge of watering trees and bushy plants.
The rise of underground resources
The water consumed in the city of Barcelona mostly comes from the surface, although in recent years the presence, for example, of underground resources from the groundwater table has increased significantly. Thus, groundwater has become a source of water resources for municipal uses of non-potable water, such as watering parks and gardens, cleaning streets and sewers, and using ornamental fountains and sheets of water. Currently, the use of groundwater resources exceeds 1.4 million m3 per year. Currently being able to use up to 4.02 hm3/year.
