Proposals to water scarcity in the province of Alicante: Measures from water demand management and water resources offer

Abstract

In the province of Alicante (Southern Spain) the insufficiency of water resources has been motivated by the increase in demands since the 60s and 70s to satisfy urban and agricultural uses. Also, it is important to be added that the natural aridity of the territory has become one of the main economic and socio-territorial problems. The increase of resources became possible because the overexploitation of aquifers, the arrival of external flows, the reuse of treated water and in recent years, by desalination. However, traditionally, measures from demand management have not been considered as a solution to solve this shortage. This paper aims to propose measures, both from the management of demand and the supply of water resources to solve this situation. To that end, based on a review of works on the study area, interviews and data analysis provided by users (water companies and irrigation communities), the measures that may be viable to solve this problem have been synthesized. To sum up, it should be noted that this research will fill a scientific gap regarding the management of demand in the study area. And stressing that, no single measure can solve the water deficit, and being necessary, also, the involvement of all users and institutions.