SAVING WATER

SAVING WATER

CHALLENGE: Better water management, fostering water saving. Due to the context of drought, which could become a chronic problem because of the climate emergency, we propose reducing domestic consumption of drinking water to 90 litres per inhabitant and day under normal circumstances, a 15% saving for commercial and industrial uses, and 10% for municipal uses.

Barcelona is currently in an emergency situation due to drought and, faced with forecasts that this situation could become chronic because of the effects of climate change, the city is committed to improving water management and fostering water saving. In order to prevent new emergency episodes and adequately prepare for them should they occur, thereby minimising the consequences, preventative measures have been established and a course of action has been defined for municipal services.

However, in order to meet this major challenge, as many city stakeholders as possible must make the commitment and carry out initiatives along these lines.

By joining this challenge, we assume the following commitments:

In order to make progress in saving water, we are developing our own strategy and doing everything within our power to reduce daily domestic water consumption by 10 litres per inhabitant, to 90 litres, 15% for commercial and industrial consumption and 10% for municipal consumption, within one year.
In order to ensure transparency, we monitor the obtained results and share the data with the platform of organisations taking part in the challenge.
In order to favour collective learning, we share good practices and other significant experiences that the organisation carries out along this path.

The main lines of action are:

Saving water and adapting vegetation to the drought.
Favouring the use of alternative water resources.
Limiting pressure on the receiving environment (sea and rivers).

By accepting the challenge of using water efficiently in Barcelona, we are making progress with regard to minimising the consequences of a lack of water in the city.

Join the challenge!

The working project for challenges requires members to form part of the More Sustainable Barcelona Network and to have signed the More Sustainable Barcelona Citizen Commitment. If you have not yet done so, you can do it now.

Common FAQs

General aspects

We understand working for challenges to be a specific means for achieving a significant impact on sustainability and the climate challenge in the city, through promoting initiatives and projects.

The stakeholders taking part in this process are the City Council and city companies, organisations, shops, schools, residents and research centres. All of them are committed to developing measures in their area of action and sphere of influence.

The two challenges that are being prioritised for the 2024-2026 period are “Decarbonising” and “Saving Water”. A commitment to these challenges is part of the More Sustainable Barcelona Network, within the framework of the new 2024-2034 Citizen Commitment to Sustainability.

These are voluntary projects, open to all who wish to contribute and to achieve a positive, transformative impact.
In addition to the two challenges that are currently active (“Decarbonising” and “Saving Water”), in coming years, Barcelona City Council will be working on the following challenges, also on sustainability issues:
- Let's Get Moving!: encouraging private vehicle users to get around the city in their everyday lives via public transport, bicycles and walking.
- Eating Smart: offering healthy, low-carbon options on menus (restaurants, school canteens, community kitchens, catering services) and adopting measures to avoid food waste.
- A city full of life: increasing and improving the green surface area of public and private spaces.
- Setting Boundaries and Embracing Circularity: Reducing material consumption and promoting circular consumption and production.
- Going local: promoting local products at local shops.
- Protecting Ourselves from Heat and Cold: Offering private spaces to serve as climate shelters.
Joining the challenges involves access to advice and helping to achieve the objectives of improving sustainability in your municipality, through your company, organisation or family. Thanks to this support, you can enjoy better environmental positioning, save on your electricity and water bills, as well as benefiting from the available tax breaks and establishing synergies with other members.

Practical aspects

You have to sign the form for the challenge you wish to join. Remember, you must be part of the More Sustainable Barcelona Network and have signed the Citizen Commitment for a More Sustainable Barcelona.
You can join the challenge at any time. However, if you join now, you will find out about all the available activities and support tools.
Yes, it will. During the 2024-2026 period, the “Decarbonising” and “Saving Water” challenges will be active. In coming years, other sustainability challenges will also be activated.
You need to be a member of the More Sustainable Barcelona] Network, and you must live or carry out a large part of your activity in Barcelona. Joining is voluntary and free of charge.
Once you join the challenges, the More Sustainable Barcelona Technical Secretariat will ask you for your consumption data, in order to calculate your GHG-emission and water-consumption impact and potential savings, depending on the challenge you have joined (carbon footprint and/or water footprint). This data will be processed under current data-protection and privacy criteria.
If you have a question, you can contact the Technical Secretariat for the challenges, via the following email address: reptesbcnsostenible@bcn.cat
You will have access to various resources, which will soon be available in the “Toolbox”: Cross-cutting resources, Resources to save water and Resources to decarbonize us. You will also have access to advice. This personalised support involves collective working sessions and spaces for resolving queries, in the case of companies and organisations.
Yes. Currently, the following subsidies are available in the “Toolbox“: Cross-cutting resources, Resources to save water and Resources to decarbonize us.

Saving Water

Catalonia's Mediterranean climate is characterised by irregular rainfall, alternating long periods without any rain (droughts) with episodes of heavy or even torrential rainfall. It is predicted that climate change will exacerbate this situation even further: the periods of drought will be more extreme in both length and intensity. For that reason, it is important to foster a culture of saving water, as we are dealing with an increasingly scarce resource.
You can monitor your water consumption via your water bills or by reading the meter. You will be asked for your consumption data in order to calculate the challenge's objective.
The water-saving initiatives are part of the following projects:
- Saving water and adapting vegetation to droughts: investment for saving water, adapting to droughts and preserving vegetation.
- Favouring alternative water resources: increasing the use of rainwater, grey water, phreatic water and regenerated water. Recovery of soil permeability.
- Limiting pressure on the receiving medium: avoiding water pollution in rivers and the sea.
You will find a list of actions taken by city companies, institutions and organisations relating to each of the challenges on this page. These actions have already been carried out and involve an improvement in terms of sustainability, going beyond compliance with current environmental regulations.
Yes. You can join more than one challenge, if you so wish.