Water Alarm in Mallorca: Seven Municipalities Turn Down the Tap – What Applies Now

Seven municipalities on conservation mode: Why water scarcity is reigning now

The summer has left us dry fields and empty cisterns – and now several municipalities are turning the taps off. Sóller, Fornalutx, Montuïri, Algaïda, Esporles, Deià and Pollença are currently reporting binding restrictions on the use of drinking water from the public network. The reasons are simple and unpleasant: little rain, increasing consumption and reservoirs that are full and barely keep up.

What is forbidden – and what is not

In the affected towns, filling private swimming pools, watering gardens with tap water and washing cars with drinking water are often prohibited. Sóller even went so far as to temporarily close the two pools at the municipal sports center. Exceptions exist only for hygienic reasons or safety concerns – for the rest, it’s a matter of saving.

Fornalutx also has time-based restrictions: certain electrical devices must not be operated at designated hours to avoid peak loads. In Montuïri, a local campaign – "Every Drop Counts" – calls for a change in thinking, while Deià has targeted reductions in supply in especially affected neighborhoods.

How people are reacting

At the kiosk on Plaça, an older resident said she had proactively checked her cistern: "I fill my bottles with care, this is everyday life now." A hotelier in Pollença reports that problems after a network outage have largely been resolved, but restrictions remain for the time being. Gardeners and small farmers are worried; some are now checking tanker offers, others are increasingly turning to drip irrigation.

Tips from the neighborhood – short and practical

Saving water in daily life: take a shower instead of a bath, run the washing machine only when fully loaded, reuse greywater for plants (with caution) and check rainwater harvesting systems – even if rain is currently absent. Small changes count: a bucket to catch water when washing vegetables, stopping the drip at the garden.

What happens next

The water authorities and local administrations will continue to monitor the situation. Since each municipality may make its own decisions, more places could follow if autumn remains dry. There is hope nonetheless: a little rain in October or November would significantly ease the situation. Until then, saving remains the only reliable strategy – and an afternoon walk to tend to vegetable plants with care, rather than with buckets.

If you live in one of the mentioned places: check your municipality's official notices and, if unsure, ask directly at the town hall. Many measures are short-term and can change quickly.