British holiday plans could face disruptions as parts of a favourite holiday island struggle with water shortages.
Travellers heading to the Balearic Islands may find an unpleasant surprise on arrival, with several areas facing serious water supply problems.
The towns of Arta and es Pla in Majorca have been put on pre-drought alert, while Formentera, near Ibiza, is also under special restrictions.
Local Balearic authorities say the situation is critical, calling for "strict monitoring" and urging both locals and visitors to use water wisely.
New data reveals that water reserves in the Balearics rose by three percent from August to 46 percent in September, though levels are still six percent lower than this time last year.
In Arta and es Pla, new rules now limit water use for gardens, street cleaning, fountains, and beach showers unless they connect to desalination plants.
Spanish officials noted that water levels in the country’s reservoirs are expected to increase in the coming weeks.
However, some areas are seeing water reserves drop. On 16 October, the Majorca Daily Bulletin reported that the two reservoirs in the Tramuntana Mountains were down to 31.7 percent and 23.8 percent capacity.
In the Marina Alta region, which relies on one of these reservoirs, some residents recently lost access to running water.
An environmental expert speaking to this site suggested putting restrictions on tourism to reduce the demand on local water resources.
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