Arid Barcelona Forced to Import Water

Spain’s second largest city must cope with a water shortage resulting from extreme drought. Now, the city must import water by ship and rail. Barcelona has a reputation for efficient infrastructure, reports Elizabeth Nash for the Independent, but climate change and water shortages disrupt city life. The city has turned off public fountains and pools and plans to conserve the imports by lowering water pressure, reducing tap water to a trickle. Spain has 950 desalination plants and plans to construct more. In the meantime, government officials and agriculture interests quarrel over diverting water from other sources. City officials hope for a return to “normal” rainfall, but droughts could be the new normal. – YaleGlobal