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UK tourists heading to the Canary Islands have been warned about an ongoing water shortage affecting some parts.
‘Water emergencies’ have been extended in the holiday hotspots of Tenerife and Lanzarote following a lack of rainfall. Tenerife’s government extended the island’s water emergency status until February 28 2025, following its fourth ‘Drought Committee’ meeting.
As a result the Spanish island will put in place 75 measures to make sure there is enough water flow for the agricultural sector and residents.
READ MORE: Brit who moved to Spain shares harsh reality of ‘hardest part’ of living there
Millions of Euros will also be spent on improving the island’s water infrastructure, bringing the total investment to €13.5 million. Personal water usage restrictions – which would directly impact tourists – have not been implemented so far.
Rosa Dávila, President of the Tenerife Cabildo, says the situation remains ‘critical’ due to a lack of rain. According to Canarian Weekly, she said: “We cannot wait for rain. The current water flow is still inadequate and unlikely to improve. The decree ensures we can provide sufficient water for farming.”
Politicians have long pointed the finger at tourism as one of the driving factors of the issue – with a five-star hotel consuming a whopping 400 litres of water per client, per day, which is up to four times more than a resident. The Express reports that, if the situation continues to worsen, tourists could be forced to pay more for their water supplies. At the time of writing, this hasn’t been enacted.
Meanwhile, Lanzarote’s Water Consortium also declared a state of water emergency on the island last week. The decision will allow authorities to implement a number of measures to reduce usage and desalinate water, according to Lanzarote magazine Gazette Life.
The water issue in the region is compounded by the fact that the Canary Islands have been experiencing a prolonged drought lasting over a decade. This is coupled with over two years of unusually high temperatures, sometimes exceeding the average by 3C. The drought has not been alleviated by the meagre winter rainfall.
