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Reservoir levels low but water supplies guaranteed

THE reservoirs in Cuber and Gorg Blau contain only 34.15 percent of their total capacity, a figure notably less than that recorded in December 2004 when they were filled to 77.09 percent of their total capacity. But, according to Catalina Terrasa, chairman of EMAYA, the local water board, there will be no supply problems. She added that this year has been the driest in the past 15 years. Both reservoirs contain little more than four million cubic metres of water. A year ago they contained 9.265 million cubic metres, more than double the current figure. In Palma the daily water consumption in winter is around 114'000 cubic metres, which rises to 140'000 in summer.
Taking each reservoir in turn, Gorg Blau is filled to only 24.28 percent of its total capacity which means it contains 1'787 cubic metres.
The Cuber reservoir has 2'485 million cubic metres which is 53.49 percent of its capacity.
From January to July Majorca suffered around a 50 percent deficit in rainfall.
Due to this, the level of the reservoirs has fallen, descending from 82.65 percent of their total capacity in February to 50 percent in the summer.
The water supplied by EMAYA from the water treatment plant at Son Tugores is a little above 20 percent of the total consumed while the water coming from the desalination plant is around 18-20 percent of the total. The desalination plant is working at 100 percent of its capacity.
In Palma, the water which comes from the desalination plant accounts for around 20 percent of the 140'000 cubic metres of water needed by the city.
In reality the two reservoirs do not supply all the water (20'000 cubic metres a day) and will not dry up completely, Terrasa, confirmed.
EMAYA supplies water from reservoirs, springs, water treatment plants and desalination plants.

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