On Sunday, the Balearic Government placed the Pla (Plain) region of Mallorca on drought alert owing to a "general worsening of the situation". Drought alert is the level below emergency.
All of Mallorca plus Menorca and Ibiza had been on pre-alert for drought. The revision for the Pla region reflects the overall water reserves' picture at present and the specific issues that relate to this region.
At the end of July, reserves stood at 43% in the Balearics, five points below what they had been in June and three points below July 2024. In Mallorca specifically, these were at 46%. Ibiza is the biggest worry, as the reserves were 29% at the end of last month. Only Formentera was classified as "normal".
The municipalities covered by the drought alert are: Algaida, Ariany, Costitx, Lloret, Llubi, Maria de la Salut, Montuiri, Petra, Porreres, Sant Joan, Santa Eugenia, Sencelles, Sineu and Vilafranca.
The issues in the Pla region, which have been recognised for years, arise in no small part from the fact that municipalities aren't connected to the mainstream water network. Work is being undertaken, the government's director-general for water resources, Joan Calafat, having spoken recently of the urgency needed. Montuiri is one of the municipalities most affected; the town hall pays for water-tanker supplies.
The drought alert comes despite this July having been the seventh wettest since 1961. Annual rainfall in Mallorca is at present slightly above 100%.