The offensive announced by Water Resources and the Civil Guard against illegal water extraction from the islands' wells is serious. This year, the Directorate General has already carried out 70 inspections at as many water intakes and opened 62 cases. The majority, 54, are due to the discovery of illegal wells, and the remaining eight are due to other types of complaints.

The Department of Water Resources and the Nature Protection Service (Seprona) of the Civil Guard carried out the first of a series of operations throughout the summer to pursue large consumers who extract significant amounts of water without authorization. As a result of the collaboration between the two agencies, last week an illegal well was closed at the Cap Menorca rural hotel, in the former military batteries of Llucalari (Alaior), where up to 40 tons of water were being extracted without permission per day.