You are in the process of expropriations to bring water to the future large reservoir of Sineu

PalmThe process of expropriations, temporary occupations, and the creation of the necessary easements for the construction of the new main water pipeline connecting Maria de la Salut and Sineu has already begun. This announcement was made last Saturday by the Director General of Water Resources, Joan Calafat, during the Water Debate in the Pla region, organized by Pla de Mallorca XXI and the Climate Academy, with the collaboration of the Pla Commonwealth, held in Lloret. This project, considered strategic for guaranteeing the water supply to the center of the island, aims to carry water from Maria de la Salut to the plot of land purchased by the Commonwealth in the Dama area, on the road between Sineu and Petra. This process comes at a particularly critical time for the Pla de Mallorca, which, according to Calafat, is "in a state of emergency" after water availability fell to 44% in October 2025. Calafat warned that "we cannot be complacent" and argued that the next Plan demands measures to reduce pollution and enhance water regeneration. The new pipeline, about which the affected residents, almost all of them from the municipality of Sineu, have already been notified, is part of the Program of Measures of the Hydrological Plan for the Balearic Islands Hydrographic Demarcation, approved by Royal Decree 49/2023. It is listed in Annex 9 as an action.High-speed network connection to SineuAnd it is one of the priority projects to resolve the water scarcity that affects numerous municipalities in the Plan, many of which do not comply with current regulations due to excess nitrates or salinity problems, as is the case of Costitx, Lloret de Vistalegre, Sineu, Vilafranca de Bonany and Montuïri, the latter with daily contributions from tanker trucks.

Thus, the execution of the project to channel water from Maria to Sineu requires intervention on privately owned properties, making it essential to initiate the procedures for acquiring, occupying, and using the land. The route passes through the areas of Banderola, So n'Alcaines, La Torre, and Son Tell, until reaching the La Dama region, where the future reservoir will be built on the already acquired land. Once this information process is complete, Abaqua, the public entity responsible for promoting, constructing, operating, and maintaining the hydraulic infrastructure of the Balearic Islands, will assume management of this process.

Conference

Last Saturday's event drew a large audience. Mateu Ginard, president of Pla de Mallorca XXI, welcomed attendees and introduced the event. Professor Cels Garcia from the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB) and Joan Calafat, Director General of Water Resources, were the first to explain and discuss the water situation in the Pla. Miquel Coll, president of Apaema; Biel Vicens, biologist and former Minister of the Environment; Tomàs Vilafranca, head of Hidrobal; and Aina Calafat, biologist from Valldemossa and coordinator of SEAE (Spanish Society of Organic Agriculture), participated in a round table discussion about water and the situation in the Pla de Mallorca, its people, and its countryside. The event concluded with a screening of a documentary.The path of water,Created by Pep Cirer and Miquel Micer.

Future

Meanwhile, the Pla de Mallorca region as a whole requires a thorough overhaul of its main water network. The complete interconnection project (pictured above), valued at over €20.5 million, includes phases of expansion, renovation, and hydraulic improvement designed to guarantee a secure supply in the medium term. These planned actions have become a priority after technical studies indicated that the Pla is among the most strained hydrological units in the archipelago. The commencement of the expropriation process confirms the effective start of a project long demanded by the municipalities in the center of the island and marks the beginning of a crucial stage for the region's water future. With reserves at record lows and often insufficient water quality, the new Maria-Sineu pipeline and the overall network interconnection are emerging as key elements to reverse a situation that, according to public officials and technical specialists, can no longer be delayed.