Menorca is experiencing a delicate water situation and water is an increasingly scarce resource

PalmaJust like in all of Menorca, excessive consumption and waste by some large consumers have made the situation of the well water reserves increasingly difficult, and the update on the state of the aquifers sadly confirms this.It is within this context that in 2016 Ara Maó promoted a proposal for tariff reorganization that aims for those who misuse it to pay more, while citizens who have reasonable consumption see their collaboration recognized with a reduction in the price of the water bill.After overcoming judicial appeals from those who defend large consumers, this issue has now been resumed within the framework of the negotiation agreements between the current municipal government and Ara Maó to approve the budgets. Our electoral group has set a series of measures aimed at addressing the water problem at its source as conditions.For these reasons, in the plenary session of May, this reordering of tariffs was brought for definitive approval, which aims to put an end to the waste of a few that harms us all and to help citizens who make good use of them.Thus, the first tiers will see the price of water reduced and the last ones will see a progressive and significant increase with the aim of provoking a change of mentality in excessive uses. Tropical gardens, lawns, uncontrolled swimming pools, water for cleaning rental vehicles and boats, as well as any unnecessary use will be the target of this increase.Because not all consumption can be treated the same. It is not acceptable that on an island with limited water resources, water continues to be consumed disproportionately without consequences. Those who waste water or use it excessively must pay more. Not as an arbitrary penalty, but as a matter of environmental justice and social responsibility.Menorca is experiencing a delicate water situation and water is an increasingly scarce resource. Precisely for this reason, the new tariff structure incorporates an element that is indeed worth defending: the reduction of the first consumption tiers.This is added to another of the agreements that has been negotiated: the launch of the denitrifiers of Malbúger and Sant Climent must serve to achieve the objective of providing water with the parameters set by health to the entire municipality.Menorca cannot afford to continue acting as if water were infinite. Every summer, the strain on aquifers, the impact of tourism growth, and the urgent need to address the situation with sustainability criteria become more evident. Citizens must act with awareness, and institutions must drive policies to improve the situation.We must continue to promote other actions, such as improving connections, reducing losses, controlling illegal wells, meters for large irrigation systems, reviewing tourism growth, utilizing wastewater, and collecting rainwater, among others. In several cases, other public administrations must be involved. However, in the rearrangement of tariffs, municipalities have full competencies and can intervene quickly.Conxa Juanola Pons