Spain expands desalination and irrigation to tackle drought while farmers seek relief

Spain launches a major investment in sustainable irrigation and desalination as drought grips the country

The hopeful refrain of “a thousand waters in April” won’t materialize this year. Water reserves in Spain sit well below seasonal norms, with reservoirs currently at about 51 percent of capacity and about 28,665 cubic meters of stored water. In some areas, levels are down as much as 60 percent from typical values, notably in Murcia and Andalusia, and in Catalonia drought is showing an 80 percent deficit. These shortages are already affecting roughly 60 percent of crops and even threaten human consumption in extreme cases. Rice is among those most vulnerable; without rain by May, planting risks failing. The mood among agricultural leaders is urgent as representatives meet with the Ministry of Agriculture to discuss the drought’s reach across rural Spain. Officials acknowledge that the government will mobilize up to one billion euros to support desalination expansion as a key response, aiming to protect crops and communities in the Levante where drought bites hardest. Yet questions remain: can desalination alone reverse this year’s water crisis?

Investment plans call for redirecting funds toward Torrevieja in Alicante or Águilas in Murcia, according to Domingo Zarzo, president of the Spanish Association for Desalination and Reuse. Acuamed confirms projects in Murcian Valdelentisco and Águilas in Levante, plus Carboneras and Campo de Dalías in Almería, and facilities in Torrevieja in Alicante. Combined, these sites currently yield roughly 260 cubic meters per year, and with planned expansions could reach about 347 cubic meters per year, equivalent to around 138,800 Olympic pools. Officials expect these plants to be operational by 2026, with tenders potentially issued later this year. The funding forms part of the broader 2,130 million euro package for sustainable irrigation and water conservation.

Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, which manage their own desalination facilities, are also increasing capacity in response to drought. Catalonia plans to raise domestic-water restrictions and expand capacity from 20 to 80 cubic meters per year at the Tordera plant, a project valued around 176 million euros. The Balearic Islands are following suit, increasing water capacity in Mallorca from 32 to 37 cubic hectometers annually and in Ibiza from 14.5 to 16.23 cubic hectometers, a scale roughly measuring thousands of Olympic-sized pools. These expansions illustrate how regional leadership is guiding drought responses across Spain.

One more potential solution is still under consideration, though it carries uncertainties. Spain currently hosts 765 desalination plants that produce significant amounts of water daily and supply rural areas with nearly 9 percent of drinking water nationwide. The most recent facilities were built in the Levante region under a previous government to support agricultural needs. Since then, plans for new desalination capacity have shifted toward enlarging existing plants rather than building new ones. The sector points to the high capital cost of desalination, typically between 50 and 200 million euros per project depending on capacity, as a major constraint. About 21 percent of desalinated water goes to agriculture, but overall desalinated water represents just 1.8 percent of irrigation water in rural areas—far below what farming needs, given that agriculture accounts for the largest share of water use in the country.

Spain’s irrigated lands concentrate in Valencia, Murcia, and Andalusia, which means that desalination capacity, even when expanded, may fall short of meeting all rural-water demands. For example, Alicante’s 216,376 hectares of irrigated land rely on Torrevieja for a large portion of supply, while Murcia’s Valdelentisco facility benefits tens of thousands of hectares and residents. Analysts from Seopan estimate that combating desertification and drought would require roughly 4,851 million euros over 2022–2027, with about 3,262 million earmarked for irrigation and 1,590 million for supply.

Critics highlight that desalinated water remains relatively expensive for farmers, with costs often well above other water sources. The energy needed to run desalination can drive up expenses, sometimes accounting for 40–50 percent of operating costs. In response, the Ministry has offered subsidies to help keep desalination costs manageable while projects are completed, potentially covering rates for several years. There is ongoing interest in integrating renewable energy, including a large solar-power initiative linked to the Torrevieja plant to reduce the cost of producing desalinated water.

Experts caution that while desalination is a tool against drought, it is not a cure-all. They emphasize maintaining traditional water transfers such as the Tajo-Segura and reconsidering patterns for others like Júcar-Vinalopó. Some observers even suggest exploring the possibility of adding a new desalination facility in the Segura basin area if drought persists. The overarching idea is to diversify water sources rather than rely on a single solution, given that most of the world’s freshwater remains locked in the oceans. This multi-pronged approach aims to stabilize agricultural production while safeguarding water security for communities.

Related observations note that desalination’s role in agriculture will remain essential but limited. The focus for Canada and the United States, where drought also challenges irrigation and urban water supply, mirrors Spain’s emphasis on expanding efficient water reuse and leveraging renewables to lower long-term costs. The dialogue continues across regions as governments evaluate how to balance investment, environmental impact, and practical farming needs.